Twelve Months Book 1: Courtship
by AYangThang
Summary: I, Blake Belladonna, have fallen in love with a woman. Her name is Weiss Schnee. The tiny blush on her cheeks remind me that I'm fortunate to have gained her attention at all. Unfortunately, it isn't her approval that I need to seek. Were it so simple that I could whisk her into my arms without a care in the world, I would have already done so...
1. Chapter 1

**AYangThang:** I have no rhyme or reason for this, and frankly, I don't want one, either… First few chapters up tonight... more, um... I don't know... whenever I get around to writing them...

**Chapter 1: Blake POV**

One year until marriage, the countdown begins. Three hundred and sixty-five days remain.

I sit across the table from a lovely young woman. Her name is Weiss Schnee. The tiny blush on her cheeks reminds me that I'm fortunate to have gained her attention at all. Unfortunately, it isn't her approval that I need to seek. Were so simple that I could whisk her into my arms without a care in the world, I would have already done so. However, Weiss hails from a bloodline of prominence, and I am not allowed to take her hand in mine unless it is given to me.

To complicate the matter, she's the middle child of the atlesian royal family. She holds no real grasp over her family's inheritance, and she has no reason to attempt to argue with her elder sister over the throne. She has no hope to attain it either, if Winter Schnee were to fall ill. The line of succession has already been guaranteed in the form of a child, and with another already on the way, the Schnee line runs strong.

Even if a dispute were to break out, the family has no need to cannibalize itself from within. Atlas's queen rules with such expert precision that her siblings cannot help but marvel at her skill. There is no question, Winter Schnee is a splendorous woman in her own right. Highly respectable and equally as intimidating. Yet, she is the one that must approve of this union.

Weiss and I must receive her most auspicious blessing.

I lift a cup of tea to my lips as my father speaks to the queen about the details. I catch the somewhat demure blue eyes that watch my every move. The shy look she gives me placates my restlessness. A smile begins tugging at my lips from behind my teacup.

Yes, she is very lovely indeed.

It's only the second time we've come face-to-face. The first occurrence was on queen's own wedding day. The momentous event taking place at the esteemed glacial palace itself. I had never before traveled to Atlas, the journey had been a taxing one. Upon arrival, I realized the great lengths that the Schnee family took to preserve their nobility. Their servants were tested to the limit, expected to perform to the brink of their abilities.

Honestly, I wasn't enamored with all the finery. I recall stating as much.

Weiss, of course, wouldn't take my complaints sitting down. She sought me out, goading me into many debates, several of them lasting hours. Our heated exchange went on for a handful of days, culminating in a few dances one night at the celebratory ball.

We've been exchanging letters ever since…

Our families look to Weiss and I dubiously. As if we haven't a clue as to what we really want. Fate makes it no easier when my father and Winter agree that a marriage would be a bad idea. A trading of ideals across the table is the most that Weiss and I can hope for.

It has to be enough.

"Surely there must be something we can do." My mother speaks out. "How about appealing to the other kingdoms for approval? Blake would be sent to seek out the support of the other kingdoms. If she were to receive their blessings, wouldn't that be enough?"

"Kali…" My father can only sigh. "That is such an unreasonable thing to even suggest."

"The only unreasonable thing here is the way you have been acting." She chides gently slapping at the back of his hand. She does this when she's displeased. He's a man set in his ways. Although she loves him, she is a fair bit more whimsical than he will ever be. She turns her gaze upon Winter. "If Blake can convince all of the kingdoms to recognize Menagerie as one of the fold, wouldn't that be enough?"

"Would it even be possible? That is the better question. In my eyes, the Chieftain is correct." Winter replies, she's so regal. It's amazing to think that we humble Faunus sit across from her at all. "Such an unreasonable idea would never come to fruition in the first place."

"Suppose it did…" My mother says to her.

"If it did, it would be a miracle." My father says, giving my mother a look. One that can only mean one thing.

Silence.

She gazes back to him, and in this moment he's lost the unspoken war. "Fine…" He holds her gaze as if to test her. Finally, he gives in, turning his attention to Winter. "Supposing it did, then..."

"A miracle, that's what you called it?" Winter queried, but the question didn't need an answer. "Yes, it would be something like that, now wouldn't it?" She goes on to say, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side. Her gaze is purely quizzical, but it lingers on me all the same. Cold blue eyes lingering on me just long enough. "Certainly, it wouldn't be something to easily achieve."

Winter actually sounds amused.

My mouth runs inexplicably dry. I never thought such a thing possible, not on this day, upon this hour. I sip at my tea again to settle my quaking nerves.

"Yes, you're right in that." My father is much more resolute as he nods solemnly. "The kingdoms have never once thought of the Faunus as equal parties. If Blake were to be able to achieve such a feat, well, she may in fact be considered a hero among the Faunus."

Winter nods, a beat of silence drapes over the table. It's caught my attention, and Weiss seems worried. I do not like the anxiety I see pooling in her eyes, and draping across her shoulders. Suddenly our wordless flirting seems rather pointless. We wait for one thing; for Winter to find the words she's searching for.

The seconds are measured by heartbeats now, even my parents have noticed the direct shift in the queen's demeanor.

"Presuming I agree to your terms, I must admit, a union like this would be rather unorthodox." Winter says, her tone dry and unimpressed. "I hope you realize that, Chieftain Belladonna."

She isn't wrong, either.

"Yes, of course." My father agrees quietly as he reaches to refill her teacup. "More tea?"

"Indeed." She edges the cup closer to him. I wonder what she's thinking.

She's young for a queen, the youngest the Atlesian throne has ever seen, at least. The way she looks at me from across the table borderlines upon contempt. I find myself fleeing away from it. My amber eyes find the bread, seasonings, and oil. It is a comfortable thing to fixate on, something less intimidating than the stern woman in front of me.

"I can't say that I'm pleased about even hearing of this." She says after my father has filled her teacup to her liking. "When I received the formal request from your daughter, I thought it was a farce." She carefully floats a slice of fresh lemon dusted gently in sugar across the top before taking a sip. "A practical joke, at the very least."

I'm not that foolish. Stubborn, perhaps, but not suicidal enough to make a mockery of any human highborn.

No, my intentions are pure…

"Why you would draw that conclusion?" My father asks. He is trying his utmost to appease her. To find a common ground upon which to stand. For all of his efforts, it seems I've done nothing more than infuriate the queen by my request.

Well, I've been told that provoking Queen Schnee's ire is a commonplace thing to do.

"Weiss wouldn't just been marrying down in royal station." I hear it so clearly in her words. The depth of her vitriol. "She would be marrying down in every way possible. You do understand this, yes?"

"I do understand, but, I thought perhaps with a little leniency we might come to a solution of some sort." My father tells her in earnest.

"Even if Menagerie were to become a kingdom, it would be the smallest, and the weakest kingdom by far." Winter says clearly. "Even of your daughter were to rise to the station of princess, it would hardly even qualify her for consideration at all."

"I agree, of course." My father murmurs. "I can't say that I'm thrilled about this proposed union, either. The Faunus settled in Menagerie to wiggle out of the oppression caused by the kingdoms. That a member of a human's royal family would again lay a claim to the Faunus..." There are no words for that. He can only look downcast at his tea. "It would be unthinkable."

He's right.

It would be would be unthinkable, still I feel compelled to think it anyway…

I can see his displeasure. My father is not the sort of person to take this matter lightly. I've caused him great trouble. This I know without a shadow of a doubt.

"If you concur, why did I receive a messenger on this subject?" Winter boldly asks, and in doing so, she does the one thing she ought never to have done. She looks down her nose at my father, nearly sneering at him.

A Faunus cannot, will never, take an expression like that lightly. Particularly not a leader to his people. Despite this, my father continues, unmoved by her less than kind image.

"Well, to be frank, my daughter insists we discuss the matter." Being a large male Faunus of the feline variety, he towers over everyone in the room. To compensate, he keeps his voice soft yet, resolute. This is what makes him a most esteemed chieftain among the Faunus. "I'm not able to sway Blake once she's made up her mind about anything. The best I can do is consider it."

"Indeed, in that, I can at least sympathize." Winter mutters distastefully. She scowls at me from across the table before her blue eyes cut over to her sibling. "I have been encountering the same problem with my sister. She's been squawking about the matter too. I simply refused to indulge such an idiotic concept. I thought you would be reasonable enough to do the same. Yet, here we are."

Weiss begins to bristle beneath her sister's cold words. She wants to say something back, but, she bites her tongue. Her eyes are downcast to the table, jaw pulled tight. She's thinking the same thing I am. Her breath slow and steady, released in soundless puffs. I would like to reach across and take her hand in mine, but, I mustn't. Like this, I cannot even offer that much.

I remind myself once more, Weiss is not mine to hold, not without her sister's blessing…

I am twenty years old, and Weiss is the same. In spite of these two decades of life, we are still merely children on this world's stage. We are voiceless, and it is not yet our time to have one. The world powers are those of giants, they have voices that carry out orders upon the winds, reaching to the countless peoples across Remnant.

Even Winter Schnee is one such giant, having fought to protect her kingdom when other rulers would have taken pause, hesitated, or even cast out their sons to command the great armies. Speaking out of turn will only invite trouble. This is a political exchange, not a personal one.

The time for endearments will come later...

I take a breath, match my soundless exhale with hers.

It is the most I can do, yet, it is not nearly enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
****(Weiss POV)**

A recess for lunch breaks the awkward air between my sister and I. The meal brought out is a simple one. In Atlas where the chill is often cruel, eating warm meals is a common practice. Women are provided delicate courses. It's thought that anything too heavy or rich will upset our stomachs. A common misconception, perhaps, but one that is still widely upheld among the kingdom.

While visiting Vale as honored guests, our tastes have been carefully considered. For soup, a fine clear broth has been gently seasoned. We'll take this meal with bread, as always.

Meanwhile, the bowls placed in front of Blake and her family reflect the hearty life which Faunus tend to lead. A bowl of stew is placed in front of Blake and her mother. Chieftain Ghira receives a choice cut of venison with his vegetables served on the side. Wine is served all around. Fruit, cheese, and bread sitting on display between us. Shallow bowls of oil allow for dipping our bread, as is customary in Vale. It's not something we're used to, as those of atlas sop our bread with broth.

While I venture to try a new method placed before me, Winter is traditional as always. She wastes no time ripping a warm yeast roll in half, carefully dunking it into her warm broth.

I cannot hide my smile as my friend sits to join us at the table, receiving the same sort of meal as Blake's father. Yang is a very trusted ally, and Winter's wife. By title, she is the queen's consort. Formerly a Xiao Long, and now a Schnee.

"Still the same as ever, I see." Blake mocks lightly as Yang cuts into her meal unrepentantly. "So, I suppose this is what Weiss means when she claims that you eat like a man."

"I eat like I always have." Yang shrugged, not even hesitating to put a thick hunk of meat into her mouth. "Broth is for sick people and babies cutting teeth. Now this is a meal."

"It is uncommon in Atlas for women to partake such gluttonous behavior." My sister responds to the unasked question lingering among those who have no concept of royal life. "Surely, most would frown upon it. However, Yang is no mere royalty. She was born and raised a knight, and prefers to lend her talents to the kingdom in unconventional ways. She requires a lofty intake of sustenance, and my people know this."

Chieftain Belladonna nods at this, enjoying his own meal as a thought seemingly comes to mind. Something that causes his nostrils to flair and a frown to fall upon his lips as he chews thoughtfully. He sets his knife and fork down with a great sense of authority. It seems as if he's concluded something particularly distinct.

"That of an atlesian highborn wouldn't want for anything, correct?" He asks thoughtfully, his eyes pointed to me.

"Correct." I say quietly, unsure of where his line of thought comes from.

"Yet, you are very slight, Princess Schnee. The answer comes from your diet, yes? Yet, this leads to another question." He observes, reaching for his wine glass. "For all that you receive, I wonder at the knowledge you have for the cultivation of your belongings. I wonder what lengths you go to earn what you have."

Blake warned me of this in one of her letters. Her father thinks me to be spoiled. Perhaps in his eyes, I am.

"I know enough to choose the right people when I require something." I reply simply. "Money is of no object." It isn't a complex matter, it is simply the way of Atlas. "If I have a question regarding a particular topic, I tend to inquire about that too."

"Yet, not a day of hard labor has been spent by you, personally?" He asks it innocently, prying into what I may have done for all my years of life.

A fair point, I suppose.

"No, I was not raised the same way that my sister was." I say softly to him. "My father was an intellectual. With three children, he knew it wouldn't have done any good to poise all of us for the royal throne. Winter had to live a laborious life, gaining the love of the people. Meanwhile, my talents were to be placed elsewhere."

"I see." He speaks, and after another sip of his wine he resumes eating.

"Don't do that, Ghira." Yang says, addressing him so informally that Winter nearly drops her spoon. I can only sigh, having come to expect such brash behavior from Yang. "Don't make judgments on the facts that you don't know anything about. You'd be proven wrong, trust me."

"If you have something to say, then perhaps you should just say it." He replies wagging his fork at her. The very nature of this conversation has made a sharp lurch towards the uncanny. "You know I hate when you beat around the bush."

Terrifyingly enough, Blake doesn't even seemed bothered by her father's uncouth behavior.

"You want to hear it? Fine by me. The late king of Atlas wasn't just a terror to the Faunus, he was a menace to his children, too." Yang speaks out plainly, and in doing so manages once again to tilt the entire world askew. "He was not a stern father, he was a vicious one. Weiss wasn't trained to endure the brutality of combat, yet, he raised his hand to her anyway. He was an ass, plain and simple."

"That's enough, Yang." Winter orders quietly, more than slightly irate that Yang would say such a thing so casually. "You should not speak ill of the dead."

"I'll speak ill of whoever I damn-well please." Yang replies waving a hand so dismissively that I forget Yang is a paragon of raw power. "The man wasn't just an asshole, Ghira. He was threat enough to the Faunus that you should how dangerous he was. That extended down to his own flesh and blood. I would have splattered his brains on the wall myself if Winter had allowed it."

Yang probably would have, too. She certainly has the strength to do it.

"I see." I hear a soft growl, this from the man who sits in front of us. Discontent at the edges of his expression. His eyes slip shut, a low sound come from his throat as he shakes his head. "I apologize that such a loathsome creature burdened your lives and darkened your halls."

"Faunus are the same, aren't they?" Winter asks then. "Prone to aggression and forceful displays upon a mere whim?"

"Among adults attempting to gain authority, certainly." Blake speaks out with a fresh roll in hand. "We have our ways to assert a natural order, and when those are tested there are certainly repercussions. This is never passed down onto children."

Winter takes pause at this. "Why not?"

"It has no reason to be..." Blake shrugs mildly.

"To elaborate on that further, it depends on the Faunus in question. Particularly, it depends on the species they hail from." Chieftain Belladonna continues to explain. "Our inherent instincts protect us and guide us, they also serve to mediate otherwise dangerous situations. As a general rule, Faunus children are not inclined to disobey their parents. It is only towards maturity that they may seek to usurp the balance of power."

"Is that so?" My sister asks. "Which is why yours has suddenly decided to... usurp that balance, as it were?"

"Quite." The chieftain responds. "As would be expect of any Faunus prepared to take a mate."

"Faunus offspring never make trouble for themselves?" Winter pressed further then.

"Certainly, they do." Kali Belladonna speaks. "When they are young, Faunus are driven to curiosities just like any other child. While direct disobedience isn't common, they will still get into the usual troubles that any child might. They're still children, requiring the guidance to navigate the boundaries of this world."

"As we get older, we're likely to fight among ourselves." Blake says, her bowl emptied and set off to the side. "Adolescents may not be ready to take a mate, but the drive will surely be there. Depending on the Faunus, our bodies can sometimes be more robust than that of a human. Take my father, for example. He's a male Faunus of the feline variety. He's built to command supremacy."

"And what, pray tell, does that say about you?" Winter asks her.

That is such a pressing question, when one comes to think of it. More pressing because Winter herself asks it.

Winter has seen plenty of bloodshed, she is by no means a normal woman of noble birth. She's traditional, so long as the tradition suits her. She's revolutionary, as long as that revolution stands on its own merits. Obvious to anyone with half a brain and a keen eye for change. Her tastes in friends are somewhat eclectic. Her views on what makes a born leader such a person is not defined by the archives of history.

Surely, we sit across from Faunus today because Winter has crossed blades with their kind. Yet, it begs many questions, none the less.

Blake dabs at her lips, one eyebrow raised as she carefully considers the question. Her napkin graces the table and the soft clink of china indicates the way she gently pushes her bowl out of the way.

"I would think it says many things, Queen Schnee." Blake tells her. "Many, and not all of them favorable. Least, not to a human's perception. In fact, I think what it doesn't say is of utmost importance."

"I'd bid you to elaborate of that…"

"I'd bid you to consider that my answers are not ones that you'd so simply accept." Blake shot back. "Think, if you would, on your own image. A woman of your station, brandishing a sword in the days of war. Wasn't that rather barbarous too? Surely many of your kind upturned their noses at the mere thought. How is that any different than the way humans look down their noses at me?"

Such a dangerous play for Blake to make. Saying something like that... It was completely and entirely unwise. Atlesian royalty of lesser virtue would have likely cut out her tongue, but Winter smirks at her regardless.

As our meal concludes, I feel even more unsettled.

Was that a victory, or a loss?

Knowing Winter, it could have been either...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
(Blake POV)**

When lunch concludes, Yang remains at the table.

I expected Winter to shoo her away, but instead the queen seems to have summoned Yang to remain at her side. I have no idea why that might be. Yang supports my desire to take Weiss in all aspects, and in all ways. From human customs to Faunus tradition, Yang would openly welcome all of it. She wouldn't think to question otherwise.

Talks of the possible arrangement continue. It is heavy in the air now, both in word and intent.

"Queen Schnee, I would urge you to measure the possibilities regardless of appearances." My mother speaks again, vexing my father greatly. He places his palm over his eyes. I can tell he's withholding his patriarchal growl. The sort that would demand her to hush and heed him. She's testing his temper today, a dangerous move, considering that I've already thoroughly trampled it by insisting upon this gathering.

This also catches the queen's attention. There's that a spark of emotion again. A light in Winter's eyes, something akin to amusement again. Perhaps it is that my mother wishes to speak at all. Maybe that is what amuses her. Women are rarely so willing to speak up in Atlas. Most allow their husbands to speak for them. The rest of the kingdoms rule differently, the people shaped by different laws. Among Faunus, women are no so easily controlled by their mates.

The day my mother is silenced against her will, is the day hell freezes over.

"You seem to think that I haven't given any thought to this at all." Winter says then. "I assure you that I have."

My father frowns then, a low noise protruding from his throat. Inaudible for human ears. Is it frustration or pity? Perhaps both. Still, I cannot bear to lift my gaze to look him in the eye.

"My mate and I would never make such a bold claim as that." My father murmurs after a moment to think. "I do not presume to know your mind, Queen Schnee, or the minds of your people." He tells her, unapologetic as he squares his shoulders. "We've finally chosen to meet after persistent and fervent requests by those we care for. That alone has not been easy. You would at least agree to that, wouldn't you?"

"That goes without saying. Why else would I make such a long journey to Vale?" Winter posed. "It is certainly an inconvenience to travel this far from my homeland for any length of time."

"Yet, knowing this, they both decided to cause us this trouble." At this my father allows the smallest smirk to form on his lips. "If they're so adamant about compelling us to listen, perhaps we should consider the reason why."

Winter only scowls then. "My sister is too old to be making such a fuss."

"Is it that she's too old?" My father poses. "Or is it that as a young lady, she's just old enough to have found a reason to fuss in the first place."

The queen leans forward, looking older than her own years. Her lips have thinned into a tight line. Immaculately sculpted white brows furrowing in deep contemplation. I haven't known her long enough to know what this expression means. I can only guess that it isn't a favorable one. I have to fight to keep my ears upright, least they wilt in front of her.

I can't show any weakness.

"I do not think that I could condone a union such as theirs lightly." Winter says after a few moments of careful consideration. "If I did, the repercussions would span far and wide. Well beyond Atlas. I have other complexities to consider. A Schnee coupling with a Faunus... And furthermore, to do so under their rituals..." The way she sighs is insulting. "It is absurd to even think of it."

"We wouldn't expect you to agree frivolously. My mate and I have our own doubts about all this too." My father says to her in a way that finally does make my ears wilt. He cannot completely endorse his own daughter. I know why he can't. Still it is not an easy truth to bear. "It isn't as if we could simply go along with the marriage on a whim. We would need to proceed with due caution. The people Menagerie would not be pleased to see a Schnee become our kinfolk."

An agitated glance to the side, Winter regards her sister.

Weiss is particularly careful not to say a word without a proper invitation. Still, the way she looks back at Winter says it all.

She wants her sister's blessing just as much as I do. Winter would be a fool not to notice, but, that doesn't guarantee that she'll comply. I hide my hands beneath the table. Winter can't see the fists that they've become. I can't show weakness.

Another breath, and she turns back to my father. "The people of Atlas will also feel a thread of animosity, I assure you. The scars of time have not yet healed. In a way, I doubt they ever will." She's correct, and there's no changing history. It's a sore topic for everyone. That she brings it up now, it means trouble. "If it makes you feel any better, I never once condoned the atrocities committed by my forbearers."

My father will not let that remark go without rebuke.

"Yet, many of those same atrocities still continue." He says dangerously.

"Let me be absolutely clear, the Faunus are not my enemy." She tells him with that chill she is known for lacing her voice.

"Still, we are not human, and thus, beneath you." My father shoots back, not giving an inch.

"You are beneath me, Ghira Belladonna. That is not even a question. You are a mere chieftain, I am a queen. That has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you are a Faunus." She replies hotly. "You could never hope to reach my station. The _only_ reason I am even here on this day is because my own wife insisted on it. Now then, if you wish for me to give this insane proposal any more thought in the slightest, I'd suggest you mind your place."

Our place...

The place that I could never rise above...

That Weiss would never be allowed to fall to...

She's too much an angel, too far out of reach. I should have known that.

I should have known...

"Winter, I think you two are being just a little unfair." That's Yang. She's the only one that can save this now. "I know it's not the luxury of Atlas, but, Menagerie isn't half bad. Blake's got friends in high places, those connections span pretty wide. Weiss could have a good life there."

"By friends in high places, I take it you mean Princess Nikos of Mistral." Winter seems to have calmed down, even if only slightly. Yang's a miracle worker like that. "She is an ally that Weiss also keeps close at hand, as would be expected. My sister was not raised a dimwit..."

"An ally that _supports_ them, Winter. That's why she's not just an ally, she's a friend." Yang grunted, smacking a hand to her forehead. Her fingers tangle into the strands of golden silk atop her head. It's nice to know that Atlas hasn't changed her, not even a little bit. "And look, it's not just Pyrrha. It's Ozpin and Oscar too. I bet if Blake and Weiss sent letters to all of our friends, they'd be happy for them."

"Yang, my dear, you are far too kind for this world…"

"No, I'm not. I just know my friends. I _know_ Blake." She says, and deep down, I know she believes every word that comes out of her mouth. Yang's genuine too, sometimes to a complete fault. "I bet you anything that she could get the other kingdoms to agree to accept Menagerie. Vale wouldn't even hesitate to agree."

"You forget that King Ozma is an eccentric man by his very nature." The queen speaks to Yang differently than the rest of us. As if she truly cares about her. I wonder about that sometimes. What compels her to act so gently with Yang of all people? Yang hardly needs such careful treatment. She isn't made of glass, not like other women from within the kingdom's that I've met. No, she's a warrior, true and proud.

"So?" She grinds out, twirling a piece of hair in her fingers.

"So, he is not an adequate point of comparison, dearest." Winter explains whilst bringing up her cup of tea to wet her lips. Even still, she says it so lightly. It's as though she may as well be at a tea party. "Further, I'd argue that his sons are even more questionable than he is. They are quite odd fellows, all of them."

She speaks the truth, and so it's hard not to laugh. Winter refrained saying anything beyond that. After all, it would be detrimental to speak of King Ozma with anything less than respect. Especially within his boarders.

"So, what's the big deal then?" Yang pressed. "Can't we all just be happy that Blake and Weiss love each other?"

"I certainly could." My mother says.

"Happy, at what cost?" Winter poses then. "Yang, you know why I must refuse. You were there, and you saw all too clearly what happens when Faunus and humans intermingle."

"Winter, the war has already ended. It's over, and has been for a long time." Yang said then, knuckles tapping into the table as she frowned. "The alliances between the kingdoms are more stable than they've ever been. It's a waiting game for Blake at this point, I _know_ that. Menagerie's going to become a kingdom just as soon as Pyrrha takes the throne. She wouldn't stab Blake in the back by taking away her promise. She's just not that kind of person. Pyrrha would want to see things put right."

"Yang, perhaps the queen is correct. After all, it isn't just Mistral that denies Menagerie a place among the kingdoms." My father reminds her darkly. I don't want to admit it, but, there's no denying it, either. "We would require Atlas to capitulate too."

"As I've said before, the Faunus are not my enemy." Winter frowns, looking between Yang and my father. "What little should I care if you acquire more land along the islands and coasts? As long as the Faunus don't go rampaging through the heart of my kingdom, I have no problem sharing northern waters with you."

"Is that so?" My father asks in slight disbelief.

"Very much so." Winter nods slightly. "In fact, it would prove beneficial to have access to more ports, which island settlements could easily provide."

"So then, all Blake needs to do is go is become a princess." Yang shrugs. "Easy enough."

"It is completely absurd." My father mutters sighs. "It is borderline impossible, and even insane to consider it."

"Still if it could be done…" My mother murmurs to him. "Ghira, this could be exactly what Menagerie needs."

"Do you truly think your daughter will be able to sway all of the kingdoms?" Winter wonders aloud, looking to my parents as if they've both lost their minds.

"I couldn't even begin to fathom how. Yet, if we were to become a kingdom, my daughter would rise in station to that of a princess." My father points our gently. As if there may in fact be hope yet. "She would not be as esteemed as Princess Nikos, but…" He pauses, I feel the warmth of his large hand fall upon my back "That she would be named a princess at all, would that would be enough?"

"Enough in station, perhaps, if station alone were my only consideration." Winter licked her lips. "Still, giving my sister's hand in marriage is no small matter. I will not hand her away to just anyone, no matter the station they hold. If your daughter becomes a princess, I will promise to give more credence to formal proposal." It's that she looks down her nose at me. "However, I will not promise that I'll agree..."

She speaks with such finality, standing from her place and peering at me as though I am a lost cause. A worthless Faunus with higher aspirations than I should hope for. Someone oozing with insanity for even thinking to try. I see her judgment casting itself down onto me. She doesn't think that I can do it. She doubts that I will earn the respect of my peers.

She believes that I will never be good enough for her sister...

Never good enough for Weiss...

One look at the woman of my affection tells me that this is not true. That I can't possibly let it be true. I would be a fool to give up now. A weakling to just give in. With one look, Weiss has begged me to try once more. To not give up this quest of ours so freely. I can only offer a nod in return.

I know what I must do.

What I _will_ do.

I, Blake Belladonna, have fallen in love with a woman. Her name is Weiss Schnee. One day, I shall proclaim that love to the world.

I swear it...


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 (Blake POV)**

With Winter's final words spoken, we ended the initial meeting taking place at the Xiao Long residence, Yang's childhood home.

The banquet hall was far smaller than any that might be found in a castle. Her father is only a knight, provided this residence strictly as a way to entertain traveling guests as they pass into the edges of the kingdoms boarders. The stables are large, able to shelter all of the horses required for travel. Along with modest farmland and nearby access to the vineyards, there is plenty of land.

One might call this place a small piece of paradise.

Growing up, I visited often. At first Vale was the only ally to the Faunus. The only ones to look upon our plight as an entire kingdom, taking pity on the suffering done onto us since the beginning of time. My people have never forgotten that kindness, and my father, Ghira, has never allowed me to forget it either. As a child I was sent here yearly to pay my utmost respect to the great King Ozma. When I made the journey, I was often instructed to stay under the protection of the Yang's father. For a few months out of every year, I lived with his family.

Yang and I grew up spending those early summers together. We quickly became friends.

As a child I had always taken a liking to the flowers and cobblestone pathways that decorated the exterior of her home. That I get to share this same fondness of mine with Weiss now, well, it is nothing short of a gift.

"It went well, I think." Weiss says to me when we are far away from the home to converse casually.

It's a blessing that I get to walk this path with her, arm-in-arm.

"I'll be honest, I have my doubts." I tell her, there is no reason to hide them. "I have a lot of work ahead of me. I just wonder if it will all be enough."

"I think we have little to fear for right now. My sister is stern, she is not unreasonable." She says, and I don't know if she's saying that purely out of kindness or not. I have been waiting for this brief reprieve all day. Her voice is soothing to all the negative emotions I had been bathed in earlier. At this point, I'll take what I can get. Even if the victory is a fleeting one. "It went as well as could be expected, especially given the circumstances."

"I would hope I'd gain more favor as time goes on." I agree, still feeling a little out of place. "Then again, humans find Faunus practices quite odd. I wouldn't be surprised if the queen demanded a human wedding at the end of all of this. She may stipulate that, and my father would never agree."

"Would it bother you?" Weiss asks, and I am reminded once more of her place in this world.

A good question. I looked at the shorter woman beside me. So near, and yet, so far. Her human sensibilities prevent plenty of opportunity to form the bond that I'd like. Some overtures are simply seen as inappropriate. Others are simply beyond her natural instinct. "Perhaps... I think it would sadden me a little." I admit with all the honesty I can provide. "I am a Faunus, least you forget."

"Yet, I am human, least _you_ forget."

In that, I find so many things difficult to ask.

"So you are." I say simply. I can't keep the warmth in my voice hidden. Even if I were to try, she would notice. Weiss is that sort of person. "That does pose a concern, I suppose."

"It worries you?" She asks. "That I am human, while you are Faunus?"

"My ways are simply different from yours." I say, because I do not know how much I am allowed to say. I wouldn't want to offend her.

Important details pertaining to our courtship lay unspoken. Firstly, because it is not yet a topic we are allowed to speak of. Secondly because _if_ we did, our motor mouth of an escort would likely say something about it. Yang would never be able to hide anything from Winter. We continue walking in companionable silence, but a question within me burns my mouth and stabs my mind.

I must know…

"Weiss, if I may be so bold as to ask something personal…" I lick my lips, clearing my throat gently. I don't want to alarm her. "Would living by my practices be unfavorable?"

"Would you have them be so?" Weiss asks in return. "If you knew that they would upset me, would you ever be so cruel?"

A fair rebuttal, I suppose. I can comfort that, at the very least. "No, our ways aren't meant to torture loved ones. Faunus live to achieve quite the opposite. If something I did were to truly displease you, I would hope you'd let that displeasure be known. We never seek to harm our mates."

"Never?"

"If we did, we'd only serve to harm ourselves." I say softly, wondering at what she thinks that to mean. I wonder how far it is from the truth. Then again, loved ones have raised a hand to her before. "Faunus are connected by our souls when we take a mate. In that way, even the most self-serving Faunus would never harm their mate intentionally. Pain exists, of course, such as life provides. Like anyone else, we must strive for temperance. It isn't always achieved."

Of course Weiss doesn't know the ways of the Faunus. She has no way of knowing. Looking over her shoulder, she watches Yang walking several paces behind us. The blonde meandering along, supervising the two of us. The atlesian customs demand it. I can take comfort in this, too. A small hint that Winter is taking my request seriously, and, that she wasn't as nearly against the idea as she might sound.

"Even being so near to you now, this is new to me." Weiss said then. "I was not raised to be so familiar with my suitors."

I find myself sporting a toothy grin at that. "With all due respect, I don't know how atlesian women find suitors at all. The fact that unmarried women need to be supervised like children seems a little condescending to me."

"It's just our way." Weiss replies with a soft smile of her own. So beautiful, and so fragile, a fleeting happiness I wish to remember well. "Although now I wonder, why would you think that I'm the one being watched?"

"Does your sister doubt my intentions that much?"

"If she did, Yang would not be the one supervising our little walk around the gardens."

I nodded, wordlessly considering how true that probably was.

Yang was a terror during her proceedings with Winter. I know in part because she told me. Writing letters at length, bragging about the beautiful woman who had stolen her heart. Yang had been stealing kisses in the dark hallways, and subsequently tormenting the castle guards. Over time, she gathered a large list of exploits, several of which included rumors that she may have taken Winter's virginity long before their wedding night. Though, Yang refused to confirm or deny any of the murmurs, factual or otherwise.

I highly doubt she followed any orders she may have been given. Knowing Yang as I do, she very likely broke every single one of them.

In that, I think Weiss deserves a little of my own honesty.

"You know, I doubted my own intentions at first." I said while looking down at the cobbled path and my black boots that clacked along it. "I sent the formal proposal on a whim. I didn't have prayer in the world that you'd reply. I thought I had to be going crazy, that I_ was_ crazy, when I received a reply by your own hand."

"Really? We have been sending letters for years." I can hear the note of curiosity clinging to her voice. A polite inquiry sitting on the tip of her tongue. Inclining her gaze, she regards me. I can only gently return it. I wait for her question, and finally, she gives it. "Why would you think that I might deny you?"

"For too many reasons." Rolling my eyes upwards, I see movement in the trees. I pause for a moment, trying to see through the greenery. "Many of them were so obvious that Winter even stated them today..." It's rare that I get to gaze at the songbirds in the trees. Mated pairs singing along together in harmony. This too, offers a little calm to my quickly beating heart. I begin to lead us down the road once more. A few paces at a time. "Mind you, that was not all that I feared. I had other concerns, too."

"Such as?"

"Well, foolishly, I feared that you already someone on your mind." It was then that I truly felt a hint of self-deprecation. Blue eyes giving me a passively annoyed look. The slightest scowl on those delicate features, the perfect admonishment. "If there was someone, then you certainly would have declined."

"Isn't it considered impolite to discern a woman's heart in Menagerie?" Weiss posed then. "Especially if that heart is not your own?"

"Faunus are more open, I suppose." Blake say with a soft laugh. "Our women are not raised to be coddled or cajoled. In that, we are unlike humans. We may do what we wish, with whomever we wish. Flight of fancy are considered somewhat normal, even among those that might be considered nobles. At least, the nearest thing we may have to them."

"How odd." Her confusion is adorable. "You mean to tell me that Faunus women are not thought to be women-of-the-night because of that?"

"Hmm? Women-of-the…" I trailed off as I finally understand her question. It's hard to keep from chuckling. "Oh, you mean like a whore?"

"Blake! The mouth on you, really!" Weiss bites out. The lewd word must be scraping against her thoughts unpleasantly. "You can't just say that!" She says unhappily. "I'll have you know that it's very uncouth."

"I did just speak it, though." I say in spite of myself.

"To think, I may in fact become betrothed to you one day. Such a scoundrel, and here I thought Yang was the only one to speak of boorish things." She sighs, shaking her head as her cheeks tinge pink. I feel the smile on my face spread wider still. Weiss chooses to pointedly ignore it. "In answer to your question, though. Yes. An unmarried woman seeking...congress...isn't she thought of as a woman of ill-repute? Isn't that frowned upon?"

"Not usually, no." My voice lowers then, gentling at the obviously uncomfortable question. Such things probably aren't talked about openly back in Atlas. "The mating urge can be rather strong among Faunus. It would be wrong to demean a person simply for...seeking congress...as you put it. Our customs are strict when it comes to courting a lover, but, they're strict in different ways."

"Ways that I will have to abide by if I…" Weiss hesitates yet again. Looking to me shyly, I have no idea what could have possibly crossed her mind.

It's interesting to speculate, but that would be cruel. I wish she would finish that thought, but she seems too skittish to do that.

"We will act at our own pace, of course." I tell her. "Yours and mine. No one else is able to stipulate the speed of our courtship." I stopped walking then, turning to face the princess of Atlas. Despite being so close in age, Weiss has been sheltered. I have seen much of this world, and she has not. I often forget that I have to be kinder to her sensibilities. My lips pull gently at the edges, eying her as kindly as I possibly can. "I have no intention of rushing into anything. I promise, my ambitions towards you are nothing less than noble. Please, even if you know nothing else, at least know that..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**** (Weiss POV)**

Even in the worst of spring's chill, the evening air is warmer in Vale than I'm used to by far. The sun stays out for longer, the breeze carries a vague scent of flowers bloom. It's no question why Yang is fond of vacationing here. It isn't just because of her father, but because Vale's countryside is truly a lovely place. The budding greenery spreads far, and the wildlife wander in the peaceful meadows without fear. Some venture close to nibble on the oats left out upon the light dusting of snow that has yet to melt. It's a sight I rarely see. A mother and her fawn meandering around in the edges of the trees.

Arm-in-arm with Blake, I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable outing. If only it could have lasted longer. If only we could have stolen just a few more of those fleeting moments for ourselves…and…perhaps…

Perhaps… If we had both been willing…

Perhaps we might have shared a kiss?

That would have been the highlight to a wondrous evening. If only we could have. If only it wouldn't seem so completely improper.

Sadly, it's just too soon for that.

Blake returns me to my sister long before the sun sets. As a Faunus, she doesn't care for human practices. Particularly those of an Atlesian highborn. I don't blame her. Atlas has some of the most stringent practices a human can come by. In terms of wooing a lover, it can be a long process. I don't like having to part ways with Blake so soon, but, there's nothing to be done about it. Winter would be displeased if I acted anything less than a Schnee.

With the promise of tomorrow just around the corner, I bid Blake a good night.

Closing the door, I turn to the large sitting area, fire already burning brightly. Winter sits with a book in hand, the particular tome is one of her favorites. She only looks up for a moment to regard me, her focus shifts to Yang the moment she's able. Her eyes light up then, more than happy to see Yang. The tome closes and the page goes forgotten. It's the nearest thing I know to true love. Fickle though the concept is, theirs seems steadfast and unwavering.

I let a ghost of a smile fade across my lips as I go into my own room, locking myself away from the happy couple. I wish my own room felt so warm, a light within it that didn't come from a fire. Instead, the accommodations are adequate, yet void of companionship. Blake's words still linger in my head, and I lick my lips, the implication clear. If I were a Faunus, perhaps she would be here at my side. We would be allowed our little affections with no one to stop us.

I can't help but think how wonderful that would be.

If only it were so simple.

Yet, I know it is not.

It hurts to think that Winter trusts my feeling so little, but, I know that is not the only reason she hesitates. Blood has soaked the lands between the humans and the Faunus. It has sullied her hands in a way that will never truly wash away. She cannot forget the lives she has taken, or the lives that were torn away from her in return. War, she says, is a hellacious monstrosity. It comes deep from the bowels of mankind, and as such, it shows the filth that cakes every living creature.

I can only take her word for it.

A knock comes at that door. "Enter." I call out to my visitor. In comes Glynda Goodwitch, my personal companion. She acts as my retainer, as is customary for those unwed. She was my sister's retainer too. She is not a noble, but, certainly of the gentry.

"Ah, there you are, princess. I was wondering if you were still out touring the grounds. Thankfully, you are here earlier than I expected." Glynda says, a fine sterling silver tray in her hands. "I wish you would have told me you were leaving to tour the grounds. I would have come with you."

"Yang accompanied us, so there was no need for you to come." Of which, I am quite thankful. Glynda would have never allowed Blake to be so near to me. We would not have been able to touch if Glynda had her way about things.

"She did?" Glynda paused, head tilting to the side just the lightest in concern. "The queen truly thought to allow that?"

"I don't believe she had a choice in the matter." No, not at all, as I recall. Yang quite blatantly told Winter that we were off to walk the grounds. My sister probably didn't think it would be worth the argument.

"But, the queen's consort is so young…" Glynda murmured. "It's not quite proper for her to act as your guardian in these matters, wouldn't you say?"

"When have you ever known Yang to be proper?" I ask in return.

"Yes, I suspect you make a good point." Glynda deflates unhappily. "As I understand it then, you been hiding here ever since. You returned from your outing, yet, you still chose to avoid this evening's tea. That seems rather curious for you. Might I ask why?"

"I didn't desire a companion." I say with a quick wave of my hand. "I was rather busy putting my own thoughts in order."

"If you had come to tea we could have discussed the correspondence that now litters your desk." Glinda said with a soft shake of her head. "Do not forget your place, princess. To do so would not be advised, not even by the queen herself."

"Yes, yes, as I am often reminded." With a soft scoff I hope to dismiss her.

As always, Glynda is persistent. "Not often enough it seems."

"Doesn't it occur to either of you that I might be able to survive an afternoon on my own?" I ask, my annoyed glance doing nothing to phase her. "I certainly seemed to do just fine today. Isn't that proof enough that I can manage without you two worrying after every little thing?"

"What might happen if you couldn't? Even if it were to be merely a fluke, the damage may be too much to undo. You wouldn't want to happen, now would you?" She asks, clinging to the easiest argument to make. That of my virtue, and the possible loss of it. As though unsavory sorts run rampant, or that I might cross paths with such a person. "If we worry, princess, it is because we care."

"Then perhaps you should endeavor to care less in the future." I say, and in truth I am only mildly agitated. It isn't as if Glynda chooses to be so impossible to deal with. She's a woman of Vale. Prim and proper, certainly, but not of Atlesian blood. She would not be so strict if she could afford it. Sadly, Atlas will never be as lax as Vale. Winter would never be accommodating should even the slightest advance of my virtue occur. "It isn't that I disparage your efforts, Glynda. It's that I'm suck and tired of being coddled like a child. Yang is the only one that could possibly entertain my whims without fear of reprimand."

"As though reprimand would stop her in the first place." Glynda mutters under her breath. I cannot help but laugh at little at her expense. "I would advise that you look over the new missives awaiting you. Several came and each of them await a response from you. " Glynda said as she gestured towards the desk. "I will pour you a cup of tea, and then we may discuss them together."

There is an elegant marble desk near my bed. A small stack of letters rest there on one side. On the other, my replies lay waiting to be sealed away. In the middle, a few fine sheets of parchment beseech my sister's approval. Blake's formal request is not the only one I've received. In fact, it is the one favored least by my sister. I lift the one sitting atop the stack, unfurling the length to give it a read.

"I don't even recognize this man's name." I say as I glance over the elegant script. It was not written by anyone other than a scribe. Expertly dictated, in hopes to gain further my attention, no doubt. "I would never be able to place his face in a crowd."

"Yes, well you should not be surprised." Glynda says as she brings the tea to my side. Placing the elegant china cup down in the small carving in the marble. The perfect place for a saucer and teacup. "Word of your eligibility will reach the ears of many suitors."

"His station is an insult." I say then, looking up to Glynda with a frown. "Look here, a mere knight requests me, how laughable."

"More laughable than a Faunus?" She asks, as though I'm simply being stubborn. She misses a key detail.

"A Faunus I have made the acquaintance with." I say pointedly. "I do not think I have even met this man, not for a moment."

"He is a man of Vale. You must understand, we are not as aware of station here. With the noblesse oblige such as it is, a knight might in fact marry a princess. Particularly if he were a knight with something to recommend of him." Glynda says with something of a smile. I know that look, the one founded upon deep pride for this homeland of hers. "King Ozma was a mere knight himself, so many years ago. We place our values more upon the construct of fine character, and less on that of bloodline."

I can only laugh at that. "If only all knights were of sound mind and proper character." I say beginning to roll the parchment back up. "It astounds me to think how unforgettable he must be. Otherwise I would easily recall him. Perhaps it is true that we have never met in person. If so, where is the letter of recommendation sure to have accompanied his formal request?"

Glynda is meticulous in many things, it is her utmost responsibility to be so. She would never treat such important parcels with such blatant disregard. "In thinking on it, I'm not sure that I ever happened to see one." Thinking on this further, she regards the desk in front of us. No letter of introduction to be found. She lifts her own cup of tea to her lips, eyes scanning across the neatly formed stacks she took great care to make. "Perhaps it was lost by the currier, or, I may have misplaced it."

"Comical, but likely not factual. You may not be perfect, but, that's not the type of error you'd ever make. No, I'd wager that there was no introduction written at all." Yes, that must be it. Glynda is not a slovenly retainer. She would never think to misplace a letter that was meant for someone else. "This knight must be of rather preposterous ilk. This, Jaune Arc…"

"With no formal letter, we might never be sure." She carefully takes the rolled parchment from my hand. "I promise that I will make the proper inquires. I'm sure that someone must know him. I will find out as quickly as possible."

"Yes, see that you do." I mutter with no small hint of distaste. "Act with extreme prejudice, mind you. I do not want to give the false impression that I am actually interested in this man. Furthermore, when I pen my response to him, I intend to leave very little doubt about my displeasure. You can count on that."

"Yes princess." Glynda scowls softly. "As would be expected."

I pull the next roll of parchment and begin to unfurl it. I know this penmanship well. "This one comes from King Nikos, himself." I say, choosing to read further. "As expected, I am not the only one to have announced myself on the world's stage as ready to take a suitor. He states here that he's currently looking for a spouse for his daughter."

"Princess Nikos, now that would be a fine union." Glynda says delightfully. She gently cups her hands together, looking at me in what passes for excitement. "She would be wonderful for you, don't you think?"

"Only if I were to take this even half seriously. Pyrrha would never have entertained the notion of being married to me." I say, watching Glynda's expression falter. "It is a request of obligation, and nothing more. Our families have been tied by commerce and loyalty for centuries. It would be an insult of the highest order for King Nikos to not have sent one on his daughter's behalf. However,_ he_ is the one who sent it, meaning that Pyrrha refused to do so..."

"Then it is a great insult to you, regardless." she sighs.

"No, I doubt that it was meant to ever be an insult. She has promised never to undermine Blake's pursuits in the slightest. I believe Pyrrha's refusal to offer a proposal letter stems from that." Yes, I'm sure of it. "I trust Pyrrha's intentions implicitly. She had never once given me cause to doubt her."

"King Nikos obviously thinks highly of you, and you seem to think rather highly of his daughter." Glynda beseeches. "Will you not at least consider his request?"

"I will consider that he means the best for his people." I tell her. "We're bluebloods, we have an obligation to the kingdoms we inherit. As such, it would be an even greater insult from me not to offer a reply. My return document to him will take precedence, however, it will be a rejection." Yes, that will be fitting. A simple denial for a good friend, and one that Princess Nikos will surely agree with.

Among the others littering the desk, all of them hail from royalty in some form or another. Some suitors are several years my junior, writing to secure a promised betrothal. Some are far older, long lived rulers seeking remarriage. Beneath that entire pile, the one that most interests me is the Faunus, Blake Belladonna.

I do not want to lend an ear to other proposals, or give my hand to anyone else.

I begin to walk away when Glynda calls upon me once more. "Princess, we are not finished here."

"I most certainly am, Glynda." I say, giving her the coolest glare I can muster. "I will not entertain any more of this tonight." I am exhausted, and have no time for these marital games the world insists on playing. My affection must be kept aloft. Protected and to be cherished by only one person. "I am going out upon the balcony to get some air. If you choose to follow, I'd suggest you swiftly change the tides of this conversation. If that isn't to your liking, perhaps you'd find better company elsewhere."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**** (Weiss POV)**

This may merely be a knight's home, but I find myself enamored with the beauty of the night sky. The stars are glittering across the blackness up above. They look like tiny diamonds resting atop a bedrock of obsidian. Magnificent, and so impossibly far out of reach. I would love to see a sky like this every night. I can see why Yang loves this place so much. I'm sure that she spent many childhood summers running amok in the pastures.

I envy that about her.

If only I could have been as privileged. If only I could have been permitted to wander my home and my grounds as freely as I would have liked. If only I could have been given the time away from my superiors, a moment to breathe that was all my own. Then I would have learned something truly useful. She was lucky for her upbringing, inglorious as she says it is. She takes it for granted, I think. If only she knew her luck.

She was very fortunate.

I can see that Yang's innocent youth still echoes among the peaceful meadows and wilderness beyond the fields. She likely ventured far, uninhibited, unchained. Even now, she is something of a brute. She's barefoot, picking at her teeth with a long grain of wheat as she lounges atop the balcony. If the Atlesian court saw this, our family would never hear the end of it. Then again, Yang has a way of displeasing even simple gentry, let alone the royals.

"Well, that an unsightly state..." I say, my admonishment wafting in the air. I don't truly mean it, but it amazes me that my sister allows Yang to get away with this. "Winter would be displeased."

"Would you like to make a bet on that?" Yang asks, waggling her eyebrows at me. "My house, my rules. I can do what I want."

"Those are strong words for a queen's consort, don't you think?" She's in a good mood tonight. Why wouldn't she be? It must be nice to be back home. She'll see her relatives at Vale's grand castle soon enough. "If my sister found you loafing around out here like a bear, she would probably send you quite the tongue lashing."

"If she did, I'd merely give her tongue something else to do."

"Barbarian…" I grouse, trying my best not to think of whatever filthy thing she and my sister might do behind closed doors. "I do _not_ wish to know…"

"Winter certainly has no complaints, put it that way." Yang says while stretching out her powerful form. A loud, unladylike yawn spilling from her lips. Sometimes I have no idea what Winter even sees in Yang. She's perhaps more animalistic than the Faunus on occasion. "Anyway, it's rare to see you wandering around on your own. Where did your warden slink off to?"

"For the last time, Glynda Goodwitch is my formal retainer. She is not a warden."

"Eh, might as well be." Yang grunted offhandedly. "Snooty pain in the ass, that's what she is. If you're smart you'll lose her in the wings of the castle for a few hours once we get there."

"You only dislike her so greatly because she never willingly allowed Winter out of her sight for a moment." It's in this truth that lilac eyes light up with a smile. She will never tell what she might be thinking. From the looks of it, she has probably imagined something lewd. "Once I am married, I will be afforded the same privilege to be left to my own. it's only a matter of time."

"You are plenty old enough to think for yourself." Yang tells me, tossing that long piece of wheat down to the grounds below. "Wet nurses are for babies, and governesses are useless by puberty."

"Yours may have been." I offer. "I wouldn't begin to question the quality of a knight's governess, or the woman's wages."

"I didn't have one. I wasn't raised solely upon books and politics." She's right, of course. I so easily forget that all of her platitudes are the sort taught to her by men and women trudging the frontlines. "I learned by doing. I was under my dad's feet as soon as I was off the breast. I was under his wing as soon as I could hold a weapon. I didn't need a babysitter, and frankly, neither did Winter."

"Of course not, her swordplay is no trick of the light. It would be a gruesome fate for anyone who even attempted to question that." Yet, she still chose to obey proper traditions. She is an oddity among Atlesian ilk, but, she is not lesser for her acts. In fact, she would not be as well respected as a queen if she had not battled so valiantly in the past. The people respect her because she has proven her ways are effective. "Still, my sister is nothing but proper about certain things."

"If you really think that, you really don't know your sister." Yang begins to laugh. The ruckus is almost too loud for her own good. "She is a spitfire. Never let her tell you otherwise. She would have gutted me in an instant if I did anything she didn't like."

"Yet, somehow, you still breathe." I observe dryly.

"Which means I must be doing something right." Yang agrees with a grin, dusting her hands off and turning to look at me. "Weiss, you are an adult, aren't you? Plenty old enough to make your own choices?"

"Still a maiden, and unclaimed at that." I tell her. I realize the look in lilac eyes resembles pity. "Thank you Yang, for earlier. If it had not been for you, I don't think today's meeting would have gone so well."

Her elbow nudges me, her smirk falls only slightly. "Were you really that worried?"

"Yes, of course. I still worry, even now. What if my sister is merely indulging me as a flight of fancy?" I ask Yang then. "What if she has already made her decision? Further, what if it isn't particularly favorable? What shall I do then?"

"Again, if you really think that, you don't know your own sister at all." Yang tells me quietly. "She thinks of it more than you realize. What you have to understand is that it isn't safe. Blake cannot give you the protection you'd need as she is right now."

"I know she thinks Blake unworthy." That is my greatest fear. That no matter Blake's efforts, my sister might never truly accept her. "As for everything else, I know what I have been raised to know. If it is knowledge based in falsehood, then that is not my fault."

"I know, princess." The way she touches my shoulder is nothing more than kind. The way it drifts across my back is meant for nothing other than comfort. The sideways embrace the selfsame. We are the same age, but war has matured Yang in a way I could never reach. "It would be different if you marched in the same pools of blood that we did. If you had served Atlas in battle, I think she would be much less protective of you."

"Yes, you could be right." Yet, I doubt that too.

"Most of the Faunus would rather see you killed, than to become mated to one of their own." Yang says to me, sighing as she thinks on that. "The Faunus have no true kingdom, only wandering tribes. The Faunus of Menagerie are the largest congregation of Faunus on Remnant, and their chieftain is a peaceful man. The problem is, Ghira can't speak for all of the Faunus, only his tribe…"

"He speaks highly of them…"

"Others are not so peaceful." Yang shoots back. "Some only continue to look for war. If Winter hands you over to Blake, your safety can't be guaranteed. That's why she hesitates. To be honest, if you were my sister, I would too. The only way to keep you safe is with the support of the kingdoms. If Blake were to become a queen, then the unified power of five complete armies stand at the ready. We'd eliminate any threat, real or perceived, to her throne. At her mere request, we'd be set to mobilize in an instant…"

Yang doesn't say what they would do to the poor soul who would even think to make such a threat in the first place. She doesn't need to say it, because I already know. Blood would be spilled by the gallon, as it has been since the dawn of time itself.

Without that recognition, Blake doesn't even have a voice.

Without it, the only blade sworn to me is her own.

Winter obviously doesn't think it will be enough.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**** (Blake POV)**

One year until marriage, three hundred and sixty-four days remain. I wake just after the dawn, dressing in a simple grey kimono. I leave my hair alone, allowing it to flow freely down my back. I have no desire to wear something more elaborate. My morning tea comes to me in the privacy of my own room. My parents are probably awake by now, but I don't feel the inclination to join them.

Instead I sit by the window, looking out at the grounds below.

It was just yesterday that I walked down one of those cobblestone paths. It was nice to have Weiss at my side. I think she thoroughly enjoyed the scenery. If only she were here now, at my side to enjoy these small tranquil hours. Clearly, she has left more than an impression on me. Her presence is sorely missed when I look at my lodgings. Surely, having her to join me would be vastly more entertaining than being left in my own mind.

She has a sharp wit when it isn't stifled. I must say, I crave such intriguing stimulation now. A meeting of the minds is an uncanny thing when one of those minds is a Schnee. Yang once told me so herself, though at the time I hadn't believed her. Now I know how foolish I was.

Weiss would make a most compelling mate for me, there's no question in that.

Though…

I do wonder if she feels the same about me. If we were to be coupled, would she enjoy Menagerie just as much as the kingdoms?

I can only hope.

It leads me to another thought. One more pressing than I'd like to admit. "Tucson, retrieve my schedule, please."

The large man is the nearest thing my family and I keep to a dedicated servant. He looks up from his reading, carefully placing his bookmark into his pages before closing the book. "As you wish." With great care he meanders about the room. Soft thumping sounds patter against the wood floor as he collects the detailed notebook he keeps. He takes his time opening it to the correct page. "As you know, today is strictly travel. Once we reach the castle, we will be received by the king's eldest son."

"King Ozma will not receive us himself?" I wonder aloud. "Is he falling ill again?"

"I could only offer a guess." Tucson replies with due caution.

"Then do that." I return unflinchingly.

He takes a breath, gazing out the window beside me to gather his thoughts. "King Ozma has been in power over these auspicious lands for a very long time." The man in front of me finally says. "To lead a kingdom for so long, I am sure the work has tired him. I would not begin to speak poorly of King Ozma."

"So, you believe his age approaches him." I say, challenging Tucson. I want to see if he will stand his ground, or cower beneath the implication.

He sighs, looking at me as though I'm being obstinate.

"Even if time doesn't age his body, it will surely age the soul. Like anything else, it will grow weary. If so, what of it? I believe he has earned for himself an era of respite." Tucson returns, causing my ears to perk at his argumentative tone. That was more forward of him than I'd otherwise expect. "I am sure that King Ozma has sensed a swift change in political tides. Consider that the time may have come for Prince Ozpin to take his rightful place."

"It is true that many are preparing to step into the line of succession." I consider aloud, my tone thoughtful. I am not the only one looking to secure my place in the vastness of this world. I easily forget that the kingdoms also share this fear. "Furthermore, Prince Ozpin has not yet married. Could it be that he's choosing to take a bride for himself?"

The man in front of me grunts with indignation, rolling his eyes at the thought. "Possibly..."

"You don't know?" I ask.

"It's rather hard to tell what he's thinking. Prior to now, the choices he had were limited." Tucson tells me. He speaks the truth. "Vale's magic provides longevity to those who use it, but he has always denied its power. The years were not kind to him."

"Still the power could easily be used at any time." I say, recalling my studies well. "Now, many eligible nobles are upon on the cusp. To top it all off, they're all avidly looking for matches to be made. I believe King Ozma would act opportunistically. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I..." He growls low, his eyes downcast and lips working silently. "I think it comes down to a matter of degree, Blake."

"Kung Ozma would know that this would be the most opportune time for his son to take a wife." I look to Tucson then, searching his features for his deeper thoughts. They don't betray him. "Yet, you theorize that this movement among the other kingdoms causes Prince Ozpin to act?"

"That is my intuition on the subject, yes." Tucson nodded. "I am sure that the prince will provide a large feast for our welcome. He will likely seek affirmation that his place as king will be accepted willingly among the other kingdoms."

"As to be expected. After all, I seek the same approval. We all do." I know for a fact more than a feast awaits. He never does anything by half-measure. "In any case, I'm sure that our arrival will cause something of an uproar among particular parties. Though, I am curious about the forthcoming audience with King Ozma. What follows that?"

He looks down once again at his book. "The page is blank. Nothing has been scheduled."

"Perfect." I say with a smile. "You are to leave it that way, regardless of what my father might argue on the subject."

"As you wish." He bows slightly, but my gaze tells him I am not quite finished.

I walk across the room, upon a thick oak desk rests three tightly sealed letters. Yes, I think the plans I've arranged will do quite nicely. I'm sure that she will enjoy them. "You are to take this and slide it beneath the princess's door. Then you will await her reply. Once you have received it, you will hand these two letters to the Atlesian queen and her consort personally. Understood?"

"Yes, of course."

"Make absolutely sure that I receive the princess's reply before we depart." I tell him, though he knows not to disobey such an important request. "You are dismissed."

I am sure that it will be a favorable reply. I think that Weiss will be quite pleased, or so I hope.

Vale is not like my homeland, but, I know most of its most important storied history. Being such close friends with Yang gave me every excuse I needed to know of this vast kingdom. It reminds me just how weak I am, and how small Menagerie truly is. We have so little claim on the vast lands we walk upon.

Even if we were to become a kingdom, we would be the smallest among the giants.

Vale's climate and location gives it a greater power than we of Menagerie could ever hold. Although Ozma doesn't look it, he is an old man. Still sitting upon Vale's throne even as his eldest son has long grown grey himself. Salem, Vale's most beloved queen is a woman of great renown. Together, Vale is perhaps the strongest kingdom. The king and queen use carefully protected magic that allows them to govern with such warmth.

They are amazing rulers, agelessly watching over their people.

I can only continue to ruminate on Vale's greatness as I bring my tea to my lips. A trickle of jealousy mixes with the impossibility of it all. I can only sit here, jaw slackened, when I think of the efforts put forth to build such a kingdom. Hefty prices had to have been paid, not merely in coin, although that was likely large too. If it is true that Menagerie may one day stand among the great kingdoms, I can only humbly pray that I am able to live up to such lofty ambitions.

It would be no simple task...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**** Blake POV**

I asked Weiss to spend the journey to Vale's main city with me. As expected, the princess gave a very favorable reply.

The sun just barely kisses the clouds as the servants rush to get transportation prepared. They scuffle around to ready the horses. They pack the luggage, hastily sorting the cargo onto wagons accordingly. A few fine gifts and important notices are stowed away in preparation. There is a small argument among the servants, seating arrangements are sparse, meaning many will be ordered to march. Everything is in full swing for the last leg of the journey to Vale's castle.

It amuses me that someone as war decorated as Winter Schnee brought so many servants that they see fit to argue. Then again, Yang's are no better.

Helping to complete the preparations, my father stands one side. He speaks with our pathfinders, inquiring about the maps and routes being used. On the other side, my mother thanks the household staff for the hospitality. Yang jovially tosses out orders like they're second nature, helping to organize the ensuing ciaos. The queen sends the messenger before standing beside Yang to watch the preparations complete.

There is very little I must do, at least, for now.

I'm used to the nomadic ways of our Faunus brethren here in Vale. The life they lead outside the kingdoms have made me well prepared for this short trip. I wish everyone could be so accustomed to the mild panic that sets in just before a journey. If they were, it would certainly be more enjoyable.

As it stands, I don't bother to pay the scurrying of the servants any mind.

Instead I'm far more interested with the sight in front of me. Weiss Schnee, clad in yet another silk garb from head to toe. The dress itself is an immaculate shade of purple. The noblest of shrouds, or so they say. The dress clings to her modest curves. Without hesitation, I extend a hand to help Weiss into the carriage, enjoying the fleeting contact while I can receive it.

"How long do you think it will take before we reach the city?" Weiss asks as she settles into her seat.

It's a good question, but one I don't have an exact answer for. "That would depend quite a bit on several factors."

"You speak as if you know this journey well."

"I do, this is a trip I've made often." I say pleasantly.

"Then perhaps you could enlighten me." With the way she says that, how could I possibly deny her?

"The first concern would be the quality of our horses, and the speed at which we take." I begin to explain. I can't help drinking in the undivided attention she offers me. It will be gone much too soon for my liking. "The next would be the paths we choose to follow. If the trek proves to be unfavorable, it will take longer."

"What would be the possibility of that happening?" She asks, her hand elegantly gesturing to the open window. "The weather certainly seems fair."

I heave myself up and into the carriage to sit across from her. The door is wide open, and I dare not close it. Doing so might be thought of as offensive. I can see Winter watching me closely from across the way. I must not do anything to attract her ire. "It may be fair today, but the conditions might have been unfavorable days before. If it had been, the dirt roads might still be muddied."

"I see." She says, mulling over my answer.

"I suppose a distant third would be would be our preparations themselves." I say, this last tidbit merely conversational. I wish to capture that blue eyed gaze of hers again. She is too beautiful for words. "Inexperienced servants could lengthen our travel time more than anything else. It isn't known to happen often, but when it does, it's horrible."

"So it sounds. I would like to avoid that, if possible."

I nod, a soft hum leaving my throat.

"Do you suppose all will go according to plan?"

"You doubt Yang's own family?" I ask, only partially joking. "The breeding of Xiao Long steeds are some of the best in Vale. However, if that was all they produced, the kingdom would be at a standstill."

"Is that so?" Weiss asked, eyes sparking with interest. She's completely absorbing the knowledge I've just given to her. She seems to desire more. I should acquire a few books for her, and not the sorts from scholars, either. No, I think she'll find documented pathfinders particularly interesting.

"Vale lacks the technology that's been booming within Atlas. This is still the primary way to get around." I say, gently patting the side of the carriage. "I doubt that will change any time soon. King Ozma finds that his kingdom is not in a hurry to change with the times. The people here enjoy a simpler life than that of Atlas."

"What is Vale like?"

I cannot help the feeling of surprise that obviously flickers across my face. "You've never been to the castle before?"

Weiss shook her head, looking down at her folded hands. "Never, not even once."

I don't like the shame I hear in her voice. The lack of so many experiences must have been hard on her. I will correct that, I swear it. I will teach her the ways of this beautiful world piece by glorious piece. "Forgive me, princess, I forget that you were not raised to be well traveled."

"I was never meant for any of the complexities outside of the castle court." Weiss tells me.

I had suspected that to be true, but to hear the princess admit it… Well, that is an entirely different matter.

"That sounds as though it would be difficult." I say softly, making a note of all the things she must learn quickly.

"It was." She murmurs, her confidence waning. "Some days, I found it to be unbelievably stifling." I presume it's not easy to admit just how sheltered she has been. Denied so many things, for reasons I would never be able to understand. "As you can imagine, my education was excruciatingly limited when compared to my sister."

"Her majesty never sought to further educate you?" I ask, thinking that to be rather odd.

"You speak of the matter so casually, as if she had a choice."

"Didn't she?" I murmur.

A firm denial, one made as she shook her head. The frown on her features lasting momentarily as she spoke. "By the time Winter had a say in any of it, I was already embroiled deeply within the social sphere." It was a cold statement of fact. So much of her life seems that way. Cold and calculating, and none of it by her own whims.

"Winter seems just as deeply embroiled." I say, knowing as a queen it would be expected. "Wasn't she that way in her younger days?"

"Winter was raised by the cruelty of a blade and the tides of war. She had years before me to win the hearts of the people." Weiss says, her eyes glancing towards her sister. a soft nod, that of awe. The deepest respect paid for the eldest. "I was too young to carry a blade at her side. Unlike you, and unlike Yang, my father never cared to teach me. As such, I was raised merely to marry a husband of my father's approval. That was all that mattered to him."

I will fix that too, then.

Someone must, and if it must be me, so be it.

I will show her all of the things she has not yet seen. I will give her a chance to know all that she might desire. Still, I must inquire about one detail that concerns me. Even if that is my obligation, I somewhat fear the answer. "Princess, if I may ask, what was to become of your brother?"

"What of him, indeed?" Weiss shot back, but her blue eyes looked up then. Mirth from the depths found purchase, glistening in her eyes. "He was my father's only son. Must you truly ask me of his intended place?"

"No, I suppose that was silly of me to ask." I say to her. I know exactly the thought that comes to mind. "Yet, it was your sister who took the throne."

"At the behest of the people, and Whitey's age. He is, after all, the youngest." She returns. "Winter is no doubt the most qualified. The people of Atlas know this."

"Yes, so I see." That would make sense. The bond between father and son is a particular point of pride. One that is different from the bond between a father and daughter. "Excuse my curiosity. I am an only child, so the burden of Menagerie falls onto me. It was never meant to be bequeathed to anyone else..."

"Yes, well, Whitley doesn't begrudge Winter the title." Weiss said then. "If anything, like me, I believe he prefers it."

The slamming of a few carriage doors draws my attention. My ears flick as I hear the some movement up at the front. Footfalls approach from the side, Yang and Winter are the last to take their seats. They both have decided to share our already cramped accommodations. As an Atlesian servant bows deeply the wooden door closes and we finally begin to move.

A single file line plods down the cobbled path and onto the long dirt road.

The journey to Vale's most prosperous city finally begins.

I look across to the sisters sitting side by side. Winter has also dressed in a deep purple dress, the sight of which reminds me of the sort of life Weiss has lived. She has been given only the finest things, quality and quantity suffusing her tastes and limited experiences. I would never be able to match the gifts that the kingdoms could provide. Yet, Winter Schnee is no fool. She knows all too well such things cannot completely provide happiness.

Her vows to Yang have only deepened that belief. I can only be confidant of that.

"Queen Schnee, I'm sure you're curious as to why I requested that you join me on such a long journey." Her eyebrow raises at this, and I pause, giving her the choice to silence me if she were to wish it.

"I would like to think I'm not completely daft." She says, and I can't be sure if she received my request happily. "Though, I am curious at the gull you have. You are relentless in your pursuits, aren't you?"

"Is that so bad a quality to have?" I ask, wondering what she truly thinks of my hopeful inquiries and constant advances.

"I believe that comes down to the pursuit at hand." She tells me. Her regal appearance promises that she will not amuse petty conversation.

My attempt to endear myself to her favor might in fact be made in error. Still, I can feel Yang nudge at me. A reminder that Winter is not as impossible to deal with as she might seem. Yang's encouragement is all I need to further my attempt.

"Queen Schnee, I realize that my requests have not been reasonable." I begin, my gaze sliding to Weiss. I hope she understands what I'm doing. That what I say, I say for our sake. That I might gain a bit of luck, and that Winter might finally start speaking to me about the matters of my own heart. Seeking my voice, instead of my father's. "I'd like to formally apologize for that. The more I live, the more I see that life itself is an unreasonable thing…"

"So it often seems." Winter says to me slowly.

"I feel that I could give my utmost, life included, and I fear you would not think it to be enough." If nothing else, I can be honest. If I cannot currently give anything more than my word, then so be it. "I understand the difficult position your find yourself in, but, as you said, I am relentless."

"So you are..."

"I will not give up so easily."

Winter seems amused by my statement if anything. I feel like a plaything under her gaze. "Tell me something." She begins slowly. "Have you spilled blood in defense of your people?"

Well, that escalated quickly…

"In general, Faunus are people of the wilds. Most of us under my father's collective don't want any more war. We attempt not to make more bloodshed if it can be avoided." I lick my lips, wondering if my honesty will condemn me. "There are times though, where in spite of our greatest effort, blood is spilt regardless. I am not remiss from that. Faunus and human alike have fallen victim to my blade."

"Then you must know that hasty political decisions may lead to the demise of an entire population." Winter replies to me. Her gaze drifts, I know that look well. A memory haunting the shadows. "Your father, the chieftain, he seems to be a man with pure hands. Now tell me this, has he ever drawn a blade with the intent to kill a foe?"

"No, he has not." He draws a blade to defend, and protect. Never to kill. Why would she ask that, I wonder? "His people fled the mainland's to avoid the senseless killing. We took refuge on a cluster of islands, because that's what was given to us."

"It was not long ago that Faunus were culled by the thousands." Winter replies, the casual slaughter of my people almost light on her tongue. "The state of unrest has culminated in many wars since then. Most of them taking place when enough Faunus try to lay claim to a kingdom's throne. The recent war in Atlas is just one of many. Am I to assume that you battled on the same planes that I did?"

"Your Highness, I don't-"

"Answer the question."

"Yes." I muttered sadly. "When Vale's army was sent to you, so were the willing Faunus of Menagerie to bolster Vale's numbers. Yang was the one to lead our most willing people. We were nameless, but we fought bravely alongside the rest of you in defense of your kingdom's throne."

"Am I also to assume that you spilled the blood of humans during that war?"

"When I am forced to take a life, I do as I must." I say glumly. "Human lives were taken the moment they became a threat to the royal family. I didn't hesitate to fulfill my most solemn vow."

"Then, having seen the horrors yourself, you must know. You are lucky to have survived. You owe that gift to Vale." Winter replies, and I know there is no disputing that. It's the truth, after all. "My Father was killed by the hands of a Faunus. The other kingdoms would have cut your people down life by life, until not one of you remained. You ask me for my sister's hand, but what you ask is such a precarious thing."

Yet, I ask it all the same…

"I know that the fate of the Faunus has not been prosperous in the past. However, I believe that it can be, now."

"Yet there are still humans that wish your people dead." Winter isn't wrong. "Another war could break out at any time. If so, we would be forced to do battle once more. How could I entrust my sister to a Faunus knowing that?"

She couldn't.

I would never be able to ask her to.

Not as I am.

I must become greater.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 ****(Weiss POV)**

We have been welcomed at the Vale's front gates, and it is time to settle into the kingdom. As always, Winter commands her servants expertly while we await Prince Ozpin to further receive us. She stands among her advisors, softly murmuring about the timing of our arrival and further planned events.

Winter once told me something.

She said the most important thing for a queen to believe, is that she cannot possibly know everything. To acknowledge that is of utmost importance. It is the only way to be the very best queen one could possibly be. A queen will never understand every finite detail that crosses her path. She will never glean enough insight by using her own purview alone. A queen has her most trusted advisors for a reason. She would be completely useless if she never once used them.

Therefore, a queen must only know one thing in absolution; who she can trust.

After all, it is the people you can trust that will locate anything else that might be needed. Loyalty is something that must be earned, it can never be bought. Those gifted with loyalty are among the richest in this life. Power and authority only come after.

That was one of the few lessons Winter imparted to me about ruling the vastness of any kingdom. I have never once needed to put the thought into practice, and, there is still a small chance that I never will. Still, that lesson gives me hope. It makes me believe that Winter sees the merit in Blake's proposal, and that she is not actually concerned about Blake's station.

I am starting to believe that Winter looks for something else. Though, what that something could be, I haven't the slightest clue. Winter doesn't explain herself if she doesn't wish to. Another perk of being a queen.

"Weiss." My sister calls to me, turning my attention to her. "This letter to King Nikos, it was by your word, yes?"

"Yes, of course." I reply stepping closer, my voice low. "I hope you found it satisfactory."

"You're sure of your decision?" Winter asks me then. "You will not regret this refusal?"

"No, dearest sister, I won't."

"Very well then then." She says before turning to the nearby men waiting for her orders. "I approve that this refusal be sent to King Nikos immediately." Winter says as she gives it to one of her royal messengers. "Have my request regarding Whitley sent to Princess Nikos well. Take the next supply ship from Vale to Argus to hasten your deliveries."

The servant nods, rushing away to do as he was ordered. Another stays in his place, his hands at his side as he waits for his own instructions.

"You've sent one for Whitley? Surely, the princess will decline." I say to Winter. "It would be a poor match. She and Whitley have very little in common. Besides, to send the eldest male away wouldn't be rational. It would demean our kingdom's strength. Who would think you'd allow that?"

"I wouldn't." My sister replies. Looking to me with a brow upraised. I must have said something shortsighted. "I would never send either of you away from the kingdom without good reason. No, I firmly stipulated that Atlas would inherit the Princess Nikos upon her father's agreeance."

"That means that if he did allow the union, she would become a woman of Atlas." I murmur thoughtfully. "I was not under the impression that there was anyone else in line for the throne?"

"They are a warrior people, and thus, only the strongest have a right to rule." Winter tells me. Once again, I am reminded of how little I know. "If Princess Nikos would truly like the throne to herself, she would need to do battle constantly with the others vying for the title."

"Would that not be possible?" I wonder aloud.

"So far, she continues on unrivaled." Winter says to me in a soft laugh. "I believe she does it out of self-sacrificing duty, rather than a true desire to bear the burden of the throne itself. Still, there's no one better suited to leading the kingdom. It's too complicated a task for a person of lesser intellect, and too gargantuan a title for anyone lesser than Princess Nikos. She will rise to be their greatest queen one day, Weiss, you'll see it with your own eyes."

"That does sound like her." I concede.

Winter nods, saying nothing more to me as she regards the next servant with two large stacks of sealed letters. "These are formal announcements to declare our arrival. Have the purple waxed letters sent to every member of Vale's royal family. These blue wax seals are to be sent to every member of Vale's royal court. The red go out to all households containing gentry." He nods, saying that he understand the instructions as he collects the letters and makes haste to find his way down the confusing streets of Vale.

Every kingdom is different, but one thing stays the same. No matter where we hail from, the up and coming nobles strive to be noticed. We must show ourselves worthy on the grand stage of this world. To prove lesser than our forbearers would be a mockery of our bloodlines.

Some are merely born noteworthy, being solitarily guaranteed the throne. Others are made so, striving to provide feats of impressive merit, like my sister. Lastly, there are those who are destined to marry into noteworthiness, obtaining immense power by marital vows alone. People like Yang.

No matter how that noteworthiness comes about, those who attain it have a foremost responsibility to their people.

We are raised to know this. We await our time to come into our own, and seize that moment once it arrives. The numerous princes and princesses that make up the current generation are reaching the age of selection. If matches have not been made already, they will be made soon enough. Along with this simple truth, another rests within.

Castle courts often look to expand lineage beyond that of a single kingdom.

For those of particularly high standing, cross kingdom marriages are not unheard of. In families such as mine, with the line of succession properly secured, it is almost a guarantee. There is no question that I will be married away from the reaches of Atlas, while my brother Whitley will likely be encouraged intake a spouse from another kingdom. The reason for that is twofold.

Firstly, Whitley and I were raised to better suit the commonalities of royal court. Entrusting a spouse to this task is of utmost importance to any up and coming ruler. Particularly one that might be engrossed with learning the ways of his people. My brother and I were not raised to heft a kingdom onto our shoulders. We were raised to navigate the aftermath. We would be best suited to the largest of kingdom courts, the giants. That of Vale, Atlas, Mistral, or even Vacuo. Most of the royals looking for a spouse, know this too.

Secondly, although a kingdom's court may be insular, that is not an advantage. Kingdoms who propagate within an echo chamber are sure to falter. Spreading bloodlines and fair tidings alike, we of the noblest shroud can maintain this glorious peace among the kingdoms. This careful balance promises the best for all peoples across Remnant.

Well, all peoples except for one…

The Faunus do not receive the same prosperous tidings.

For several centuries whenever there is war, it is usually between human and Faunus. The two sides clashing, ideologies promising the other side to be evil. Both wiling to completely exterminate the other. The most recent war started as a skirmish along the boarders of Atlas and Vale. A few small settlements coming into contact with one another. What had originally started as a tiny boarder conflict soon started bleeding into Vacuo.

It spread like a wildfire, again, strictly as expected. It would only get worse, and like always, it did. The scars of the battle are still healing to this day. Though that war has been over now for several years, another could begin at any time. The kingdoms have always felt that granting the Faunus a place of power among them would only inspire more bloodshed.

That is why their voices have not been heard…


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10****  
(Blake POV)**

We are received near the front gate by a series of armed guards. They welcome us happily, instructing us to pass beyond the city walls. We move onward to the castle. We gather back onto our carriages and follow the cobbled path.

The kingdom of Vale is a mix of old customs and new. A fusion of Faunus culture and human melding together. Side by side, there is an uneasy peace in Vale, the sort that can only come from mercy. Humans hold all the power here, and the Faunus who live here know they are not equal, not completely. Whatever freedoms they have are privileged at best, and no Faunus dares to think of the worst.

Part of this problem is a lack of nobility among the Faunus as a race.

We have no kingdom, and thus no king or queen to appeal to on our behalf. When the great powers gather, there is no Faunus to sit among them, and so, countless voices go unheard. It would be different if my father sat as a king, welcomed as an equal among the giants. That alone would command a level of respect that the Faunus have never once seen. Changes could be made, more land could be acquired. Most importantly, a voice of our people would champion our needs.

Until that happens, we are reliant on human conjecture…

King Ozma is a most gracious ruler, kind to the Faunus in all of his proceedings. Sadly, that kindness is only seen as mercy by the other great powers crossing this landscape. No other kingdom offers the little luxuries that can be found here. Yet, for all that Vale offers, attaining citizenship is also quite difficult.

Faunus can only pray to receive such a certificate, and only the wealthy Faunus of other kingdoms can truly afford to purchase sponsorship. For the poor, there is only one option in order to make a home in Vale, and that's to find a household willing to take Faunus servant. Here in Vale, upper-middle class households look to hire maids of all work. Faunus from other kingdoms are quick to leap at the chance to be hired here in Vale, where they will be provided a living wage.

In homes of the gentry, fully staffed homes can reach a hundred employees or more, Faunus and human alike working side-by-side to see the laborious work done. Often maids will be traded. In other kingdoms such as Atlas, having Faunus even in the vicinity can be seen as unsightly. Households such at those will trade their servants to other households of equal stature in Vale.

They do so in hopes to gain a competently trained servant. Someone who also happens to be human.

It does my heart good to see the many working class Faunus building legacies for themselves here in Vale's streets. If sponsorships go well, a Faunus can become a full citizen in just a few years. It is a hard life, but for many, it is also a good life. So long as we remain humble, the humans here have no issue breaking bread across the table with our kind. Faunus willing to keep their heads down and their noses out of trouble will ultimately benefit from Vale's kindness.

Some particularly fortunate souls may even earn a small plot of land to call their own. It's a dream among many Faunus, to be a landowner, though it rarely happens.

Thanks to our own servants, we reach the castle gates in record time.

King Ozma has sent his son to greet us. Prince Ozpin stands tall, dressed in thin black armor. It is purely ceremonial, and he pays no mind to the way it glistens in the sunlight. Instead, he idly leans on his cane. His younger brother is at his side, donning the attire fitting of a young prince. Oscar has yet to receive formal training in the arts of combat, standing unarmed.

"It seems our most honored guests have arrive." Ozpin says jovially, sliding thin rimmed spectacles with black tint back up the bridge of his nose. He greets us in order of importance, beginning with Winter and moving down the line, ending with me. Oscar mimics his elder brother, shyly making the rounds with as much courage as he can muster. He's a few years younger than I am. Thus, a few years off from being considered eligible for marriage.

This also means he is also a few years off from having to navigate the cutthroat social circle that exists outside of Vale's royal court. Like Weiss, he has been sheltered from the complexities of the other kingdoms. His only concerns are those that hinder Vale. The way he fumbles with his pleasantries makes that all the more obvious. After the greetings are done, Ozpin smiles gently to our traveling party, taking a single step back to address us all properly.

"Now then, I've had quite enough of all the posturing. I'm sure you're all very tired." Ozpin says, gesturing for the servants waiting off to one side. "I have prepared all of your accommodations as you'd usually expect while visiting. I believe you'll find them agreeable. Refreshments have been made available out in the gardens. If you'd like, you may retire there for now. My servants can help your entourage settles your belongings."

"It's a most gracious offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Winter says simply, gesturing to her daughter that had fallen asleep on the long journey. She was quite happy to stay her place, cheek resting against Glynda's shoulder. "I really should see to the needs of my child, and I'm sure Yang has other plans in mind."

"Ah, so I see." Ozpin replies.

The rest of us also politely decline. We all make our excuses, and that's to be expected.

"The bathhouse is in order." My father says after a moment of thought. "Perhaps after that, we can thoroughly enjoy your hospitality."

"Yes, that would be a good idea." My mother agrees. "Blake?"

"Was there even a doubt?" I find myself asking.

It's been a long road, and it would be rude to make an appearance in front of the king and queen of this land without first freshening up. Speaking that out loud would be below Winter. I pity her. It is not below the honesty of my father, or myself for that matter. We've been on dusty dirt roads for hours. A long bath and a change of clothes is the obvious next step for anyone with a sensitive nose.

Even Queen Schnee has a faint smell of sweat, inevitable when cooking away in a carriage beneath the sun.

"Ah, yes, of course." Ozpin says with a smile, not soon to forget the bluntness that comes with being a Belladonna. "Well then, please wander the grounds at your leisure. Our home is fully open to use at your comfort and disposal. Only the deepest chambers below and the ones highest aloft are off limits to guests."

I nod to him. As always, Vale shows itself to be a gracious host…

While others begin to follow guides to their rooms, I linger behind. Squaring my shoulders, I regard the tall man beside me. The prince is a fair man, but, Winter was right to claim that he is an odd person. Anyone who has stepped foot into the castle even once knows that. His father is even worse. "I will require a private audience with King Ozma, preferably tomorrow, before the afternoon proceedings begin in earnest."

"Will you be the only one in attendance?" Ozpin asks, looking to me curiously.

"It is a personal matter, so I expect that will be the case." I tell him. "My father has no need to sit in on this discussion. That said, I'm sure you know why I'm here."

"With my ear to the ground, it would be impossible to be oblivious." He says, and likely, he's right.

The murmurs have already reached the ears of those most important. His father is sure to know my reasons for being here as well. Even so, if I fail to speak them plainly, it would be an insult.

"Though, Blake, I do find myself just a tad concerned. It seems that you've been acting rather boldly. Words precede you." He continues slowly enough that I wonder what is on his mind. "Rumor has it that you've gotten your sights set on Princess Weiss."

"Fact." I tell him. "Not fiction in the slightest. Her affections are also turned to me."

"Truly?" He murmurs.

"Yes, although Queen Schnee takes affront to that little detail."

"Yes, I'm sure she does." He laughs gently. "You have placed Vale in a rather precarious position by requesting these talks."

"So I've been told."

"As you will likely be told again." Ozpin looks to me thoughtfully. An airy sigh on his lips. "I suspect Atlas will not take kindly to any of this, nor will Menagerie…"

"This from a man who will not settle down at all." I reply back. "I've also heard rumors on your position. King Ozma intends for you to take a bride. Further, it must be soon, or so I've heard. He's even gone so far as to threaten an arranged marriage with a woman of his choosing, if you continue to refuse."

"Correct. I am afraid that is his aim." Ozpin tells me, frowning at the sensitive nature of the topic. "With the magic provided to us, we are an ageless people. However, many like myself choose not to utilize this magic. With that refusal, eventually old age comes along. I am not a young man anymore, and my father worries that if something should happen to him, Vale may be put at risk."

"A fair worry…"

"Perhaps." The prince says under his breath. "You see, I don't quite find the point to get married. I will not live to be even half as old as my father is now. If I do not utilize the magic bestowed upon our kingdom, my fate is sealed. Besides that, there are so few suitors that are nearest my age. It makes the matter complex. I don't want a young wife half my age."

"All the more reason to use the magic." I say to him. "Your kingdom is that of longevity. You have the relic that grants great choice. With it, you can even decide upon your own lifespan, which no other kingdom can do. I realize it won't stop the years from passing by, but, there may come a time when you meet someone truly special to you. Someone that with normal lifespan, they may have never had the time to meet…"

He nods to me, but, I can still see his disbelief.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11  
****(Blake POV)**

I could have chosen to bathe privately, but, that would have been an imposition to the servants in the castle. I'm sure for royal humans, modesty is not only a privilege. I feel that likely, it is a requirement. For Faunus, that is just not so. We don't mind the concept of public bathing, and certainly don't put any strange implications on the subject. In some ways, it is a social experience, and in others it is merely practicality.

Either way, my mother and I sit side by side in Vale's public bathhouse.

The baths are split by gender and social class. However, normally humans don't often use the baths. Well, not unless they are poor, or simply brazen. However, With Yang accompanying us, we are provided the bath used most by the royalty that passes through the kingdom. You'd never think her to be a queen's consort with the way she splashes around with her younger sibling. That is also part of Yang's charm. She simply doesn't care what most people tend to think.

She never has, and likely never will.

My mother has always been at least slightly concerned with appearances. Strictly speaking, she doesn't have a choice in the matter. In Faunus culture, the mate of a chieftain is a lofty role. One that requires more than just bearing an offspring. No, a breeding female of such high standing is thought to be that of a matriarch to the tribe. She is highly regarded, and rightfully so. After all, the only one to command more power in a given tribe would be the chieftain himself.

Still, if I could not speak plainly to my own mother, who would I ever speak plainly to?

"You do realize I don't particularly want to rule a kingdom, correct?" I say as my mother sips from a small cup of sake, the clear liquid shimmering in the firelight the surrounds the large, square bath. "You've made it sound like I have such noble ambitions."

"You do." She shoots back with a small smirk.

"I was in search of a mate." I tell her, sipping from my own cup. "How you managed to make a scene in front of Winter still annoys me a bit."

"A princess, Blake?" She fires back with a soft laugh. "Of all people to search after, and to top it all off you seek the most difficult one. That seems rather ambitious to me, don't you think?"

I roll my eyes, watching as a servant by the water refills my cup. "I had no designs on a kingdom."

"Could I at least interest you in a principality, perhaps?"

"Mother…" I find myself growling quietly.

"A duchy then."

I level her with a withering stare. "You taking far too much pleasure in this for your own good, it's sadistic…"

"I just want you to be happy, Blake."

"Hey, uh, what's the difference?" Yang's younger sister Ruby perks up from her place at the other end of the water.

I can only further glare at my mother before sighing. Now, I have to explain it. "To put the matter simply, Ruby, duchy is ruled by a duke or duchess. A principality by a prince or princess. A kingdom by a king or queen. Really, Ruby, it comes down to the question of sovereignty…"

Her head cocks to the side. "Sovereignty?"

Yang answers first. "Meaning that it governs itself completely on its own. A kingdom is usually completely sovereign. King Ozma doesn't answer to anyone but himself. That's why Vale is a kingdom."

"Indeed." I say with a laugh, the thought still amuses me. My smirk falls a moment later. "A principality might be sovereign. However, it may also answer to a stronger world power someplace else. A duchy is almost never sovereign, and often relies on stronger world powers. In general, those are human titles, Ruby. Faunus don't usually care for them."

"Not at all?" She asks.

"No, we don't. We also don't tend to like all of the political games that come along with those titles."

"She's right you know." My mother says, sipping from her cup again before holding it aloft to be refilled. "How old are you now, Ruby?"

"Sixteen." She says, sinking lower in the water when my mother seems to examine her. Ruby's always been rather shy. "Why'd you ask?"

"I was just wondering if you had been on your first hunt as of yet." My mother explains, and in doing so, she manages to make Ruby blush.

"Yeah… I… I did actually, but that was a few years ago." She says happily. There's an honest pride in her eyes that tells me she still treasures that day. Then again, it was most auspicious, and even I recall it fondly.

"Her first hunt was with Yang and I. She met up with us while we were camping for respite and resupply during the boarder conflicts." I say, recalling the event. "She even marched with us until Vacuo's boarder. It was her first time in battle, and she fought valiantly. If I had my way about it, she would have joined my side as we cut a path for the armies to cross, but, Yang was a coward and ordered against it."

"She was thirteen, you ass." Yang balked while laughing, smashing her hand at an angle across the hot water, sending a wave of it in my face. "She was hardly blooded, I wasn't about to let her step foot into the Vacuo conflict without supervision. Dad really bit my head off just for letting her tag along as far as she did."

That was an understatement, but like so many things, Yang's word rang true. "But, she is blooded now, I think. Meaning that if we were ever to march once again, I'd request your sister at my side." Ruby smiles at me, genuinely happy for the compliment. It wasn't one that I made idly. As I soak in the hot water of the baths I close my eyes and sigh. "I'd like if we'd never have to spill blood again. That is perhaps, the only reason I'd ever consider leading a kingdom in the first place..."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12  
(Weiss POV)**

The castle is nothing less than opulent, I can't help but think that it stands as a testament to Vale's raw power. I've met the king only a few times in passing, during his rare visits to Atlas. Our kingdom welcomes him with open arms, but, he can't often make the trip. He has his own lands to rule. It's no small task by far. My accommodations are everything a person of my station would expect. As the Schnee family servants finish placing my luggage, I see my sister holding onto her belly. Her second child is a new gift, our own kingdom's relic a power of life onto itself.

Our bloodline would not have continued without it. I can only bring myself to wonder if I would even be permitted to use our relic for such a thing. Winter had no other option, choosing a woman as a spouse is its own complication. Yet, the baby growing within her is proof of the powers Atlas keeps dormant. If Blake and I were to hold the relic of creation, I wonder…

What sort of child would even be conceived?

The question lingers because of who I am. What I was born to be. Neither of those things offer any sort of warmth. Responsibility is a heavy thing when an entire kingdom rests in the palm of one's hand. It is a woman's job to continue the line. To birth the next in line to carry a kingdom. For Winter, the logic was simple and second nature. I wonder if she ever wanted to be a mother at all. If she merely accepted nature for what it was, or, if she chose to have a child because it was what she truly wanted.

I have no way to ask that question with any sort of decorum, so it stays sealed on my tongue. My sister covers her lips with her fingers, scowling as a wave of nausea hits her once more. She would never display the act in front of polite company. It's clear she doesn't wish to do it in front of me, either. Still, she leans heavily on the nearby wall, her own fixed gaze lingering out of my window as she hides her suffering.

"If you are feeling ill, you should lay down." I say to her, knowing that will fall on deaf ears.

"I haven't the time for that."

Of course she doesn't. She's too busy trying to keep up appearances. Her daughter cries, and with a sigh she goes to lift her from the bundle of fine silk sheets the little one had been resting on.

"Do you suppose that the gathering will go well?" I ask her after a moment has gone by.

"I wouldn't think to suppose anything, Weiss." My sister chides unhappily, closing my bedroom door as her child falls asleep in her arms once more. She turns to face me. Her image is a mask, with the same cold calculation our father used to level upon us so long ago. It's clear to me she doesn't feel well at all. Trying to paint an image of strength that she simply can't grasp onto after such a long journey. "You've chosen a difficult path, complicating matters beyond all reason. I can't even begin to assume what your stubbornness will bring. A woman is one thing, but a Faunus is quite another."

"I won't be talked out of it." I say softly.

"You don't even know this girl, not enough to know that she is a suitor befitting your needs." Winter shook her head as she sighed. "She can't even provide for you. There are plenty of suitors that would be happy to have you. Why choose the one person who cannot possibly guarantee your safety?"

"Blake is earnest in her request."

"Earnest attempts on your affections have been happening since before we formally announced your eligibility. There are many others just as interested in your hand, all of them honest and hopeful."

"Are they?" I find myself asking. I find a hard time believing that. "Truly?"

"Of course." She says, raising her brow at me as though I've lost my mind. "I had the best of intentions for you. High hopes that you would be looked after and well protected."

"Am I so frail that protection is all you want for me?" I wonder loudly enough that it reaches her ears.

"The matter is no so simple, Weiss. I will always demand that you are kept safe. Perhaps you could say that I'd demand your safe keeping above many other things of importance." Winter can only gaze at me in a loss for what to do. I can't say that I blame her. There's a deep frustration showing at the edges of her eyes. That must be my doing. "A Belladonna cannot possibly grant you that, not as she is. This entire idea of hers is preposterous. I hope you know that."

"Then, it seems we've both fallen for preposterous people. The only change is that you are lucky." I find that more truthful than I'd like. Yang is a far cry from the atlesian standard, but Winter chose her anyway. "You are fortunate that Yang was never truly questioned. The woman you fell for happened to be human, and in a position that garnered some form of respect. Blake does not have that, and that makes my feelings for her unlucky."

"It is not the same thing, Weiss."

No, it's not, and that single correction is painful to hear. It is truthful, though, and I can respect Winter's honesty in this. My sister isn't wrong about Blake. As a Faunus, Blake can't protect me, not as she is. There is a chance that my life might be taken. Should the many Faunus under her father's command want me dead, there is very little she could do to stop them. Even if they didn't wish harm upon me, not all Faunus would be so kind.

"One day, dear sister, it will be." I find myself saying. "One day, it will be the same. Then it'll be the naysayers that will be seen as foolish."

"Perhaps, but that day will not arrive for a long time. I fear it may not happen, even in our lifetimes. The king would be insane to agree to this." My sister scoffs at me unhappily. Clicking her tongue at me as though I'm a wayward youth out to cause trouble. "Faunus have never once been acknowledged as equals among the kingdoms. You may very well start another conflict, or worse, a full blown war."

"I don't know the horrors of the battlefield like you do, but, I firmly believe that the Faunus will have their kingdom. It is inevitable, I think." Was I selfish for wishing it to be sooner, rather than later? If Blake could have that power, then, so many other things would become much easier. We would at least be able to be together. At least, I could hope for that. "The Faunus will one day have a kingdom no matter what. That is the natural progression of things. If it falls to Blake, is that really so bad?"

"I don't know." Winter tells me. "That is exactly what terrifies me. There is no precedent. There is no substantiated prediction in the archives of our history. This could be a death wish for all that I know. I cannot condone that, Weiss. I cannot put you in that sort of danger. I absolutely refuse to."

So true, but then, what of myself? My own risks and my own willingness? It isn't as if I could ask her that. Even if I could, I wonder what the answer would be. I wonder if she would lock me away simply to keep me safe.

A knock echoes from the large wooden door before one of our maids walk in with a handwritten letter.

"This just came for you, miss." She says, handing me the folded parchment before politely excusing herself once more.

I unfold the letter as she leaves. Winter's eyes narrowing in concern as I begin to read it. It's Blake's handwriting, I can tell that instantly. She lacks the formalized training of an aristocrat. Her writing is very similar to Yang's. It isn't slovenly or unclean, but, it isn't perfect, either. Winter obviously wants to know what's written, the urge to cross the room fresh on her features as she levels her stare upon me.

"Blake requests my company." I tell her.

"I see." Winter replies, rather unhappily at that. "Where exactly?"

"In the castle gardens for midnight tea." I tell Winter, offering the letter to her earnestly. I have no reason to lie.

"Midnight?" She scoffs, adjusting her sleeping daughter before reaching for the letter with her now free hand. "What an odd request."

"The full moon is tonight." I say as her blue eyes scan the page. "It is somewhat customary for Faunus to take tea with friends and family. As I understand it, it's quite the common occurrence."

"I don't think I'm fond of this idea." Winter says to me. "I think you should respectfully decline."

"With all due respect, I'd rather not decline what sounds to be a rather pleasant evening." I can tell that Winter expects me to comply with her demand, but, I also know that she is fairly reasonable. "It is late, I admit, but I have never been to a midnight tea before. I think it might be educational."

"Why do you say that?"

"Faunus culture is something that I must know about, isn't it?" I pose thoughtfully. "What other way to learn, than to gather experience personally?"

Winter thinks on this with a frown, an inward conflict well hidden. "You will decline the invitation for tea." She says softly a moment later. "I don't make this demand out of cruelty. We have meetings to attend in the morning, Weiss. These talks are for your sake, and if you don't attend at your best, you risk the future you so claim that you want. Furthermore, you are a Schnee. I require that you behave accordingly until you have been married off. We do not take midnight tea, and that is merely the way of it."

"Is there really nothing I could say to convince you to allow me to attend?" I ask her.

"Absolutely not." She sighs to me, setting the letter aside. "If you must enjoy Blake's company, I'd suggest you go see her now before night falls over the kingdom." There, I find her concession. Biding me to go see Blake now, instead of later. " You will abide by your curfew, and I will not hear another word about it." She says to me, and I know she's too firm to budge on the topic. "Enjoy what free time remains now, and I will see you in the dining hall for dinner."

So I shall...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13  
(Blake POV)**

Weiss declined my invitation for midnight tea. I was hopeful, but I knew that it was a longshot. We spend our time in one of the many sitting rooms. Fruit soaked with wine proves to be a tasty appetizer as we enjoy the warmth of the fireplace. We aren't alone, Glynda keeps her eye on us from the corner of the room. She's glaring, almost daring me to get any closer to the atlesian princess under her watchful eye.

To be honest, I already feel as though the distance between Weiss and I seems a tad excessive. With Glynda's rules firmly in place, I can't make matters more comfortable. Instead, I watch Weiss perch a grape to her lips as she sends a glare of her own towards Glynda. She pops that grape into her mouth elegantly before her attention turns back to me. "Is there some important significance to night time gatherings?" Weiss asks, returning to the discussion at hand.

"It isn't particularly ceremonial if that's what you mean. The Faunus of Menagerie have our own traditions, surely enough, but midnight tea seems to be a communal habit." I tell her, spearing a slice of pear from my own bowl. "For other Faunus it may have some significance. Personally though, I've never known it to be ritualistic."

"Is there any reason why it would be?"

"Hmm, well many Faunus have nocturnal tendencies. I know that in the north it tends to get dark earlier. Midnight tea might hold more importance for northern tribes who spend a good portion of their lives in the dark."

Weiss cocks her head ever so slightly. Curiosity seems to twinkle in her eyes. "What is your most important ceremony Blake?"

Well, that's certainly a question that will be awkward. "We have a few. I suppose it depends on what you'd consider a ceremony."

"Any even you'd hold in particularly high regard." She tells me.

That isn't helpful. I don't quite know if she understands what she's asking. Though, I suppose I did promise to educate her. "Faunus typically observe the teachings of at least one of the maidens. Depending on which you follow, you'd observe those particular traditions just like humans would. I guess that would be the most common ceremonies we have. We also have ceremonies for hunting and harvesting that occur at least once a year. Then there's a warrior's feast, celebrated for Faunus who have come of age and have completed their rite of passage. Though, I'd have to say that our most important ceremonies occur during the spring and fall mating seasons."

Weiss nods, her gaze drifting to the crackling fire as she absorbs that information. I can see her trying to commit it all to memory. Licking her lips, her eyes return to me. She edges just an inch closer. "Do you not follow the traditions found within the kingdoms?"

"That depends, some Faunus tribes do, and some don't." I tell her, wondering if she holds a fondness for any of her own customs. "I'm rather fond of many of Vale's customs. Spending my summers here allowed me to gain a love for them. That said, the kingdoms are not always inclusive to Faunus. Joining the festivities can be difficult." I smile softly to her, enjoying the way she tries to sneak closer to me. The tips of her high heels touch the leather of my boots. It pleases me immensely to see her so willing to share in my company. "What of yours? Are there any Atlesian customs you prefer?"

"It isn't as if I've ever gotten to join in the festivities myself." Weiss says, perhaps a little bit of bitterness seeping into her tone. "My father was never one to entertain my interests in the common people. Every event I've ever attended included the royal courts across the kingdoms. Celebratory occasions came with all of the pomp and circumstance one might expect from that. I've never seen how a regular family might enjoy atlesian holidays, and I don't know if that would make the experience better or worse."

"Better, I'd hope."

"Yet, I will never know."

"You are not particularly fond of your title, are you?" I say, only a mild accusation finding my voice. "It's a shame, really."

"Being a princess, you mean. It is all that I've ever known. How could I dislike it?"

"It seems you don't."

"It isn't that I don't like being a princess." Weiss tells me slowly, looking down at her now empty bowl before setting it aside. "It's that I've always felt that what I should be doing doesn't match up with my title. In Atlas, I'm nothing more than pretty window dressing for marriage prospects to gawk at. My sister and Yang hold all the power. I simply don't have the experience to be useful to the common people. I've been protected and coddled my whole life, and I just don't know the realities of my own kingdom." She smiles slightly with a shrug as she folds her hands in her lap. "I've always wanted my title to mean something more, that's all."

I nod softly in understanding as the dinner bell rings. It has come all too soon, but our attendance will be mandatory. I stand first from my side of the sofa, offering an open palm to help Weiss stand from her seat. Weiss could have stood on her own, of course, but she allows me the formality anyway. It's one of the few times we're allowed to touch this early in our courtship proceedings, at least, when Glynda has her way about it.

Her hand lingers over mine a moment longer than it should. My thumb brushing over her soft knuckles before relinquishing the momentary connection between us. The bell rings again as I place a respectful distance between us once more. Then we head to the dining hall.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14  
(Blake POV)**

One year until marriage, three hundred and sixty-three days remain…

I am dressed in a pair of combat leathers. These were bequeathed to me by my father the day I returned from the border conflict in Vacuo. They are black, the darkest ink staining them. They look like the deepest part of night. Armed to the teeth, I hope to stand in front of Vale's greatest king and make my request. I hope to appeal to his nature, wishing that my strength will be enough. My hair is combed and schooled behind my back like a waterfall, not a single one out of place. After I have been announced, I take a deep breath and enter the throne room.

My steps take me to the edge of the staircase. Looking up, I see the man who governs Vale. King Ozma sits on a wooden throne. Carved from the great trees in the nearby forest and decorated in the finest purple silks that money can buy. The one color that is shared by all kingdom, purple is the noblest shroud. I kneel down before him, head bowed in reverence. "King Ozma, it's a pleasure to see you again." I say to him, not daring to lift my gaze until I've been invited to.

"The pleasure is all mine, Blake." He says invitingly, it is all the indication I need to know that he has welcomed me. "What brings you here so early?"

Slowly I stand. The throne beside his, left empty. Queen Salem has other tasks she tends to when guests arrive. I am lucky that the king didn't have other plans. If he did, I might have been out of luck. "As you know, the time has come for me to take a mate. I have set my sights on the Atlesian princess, Weiss Schnee. She has expressed a return interest, but, as it stands, I do not have Queen Winter's blessing."

"Ah." He says, his lips quirking upward as if amused. "And what is it that you would like me to do about it?"

"To be granted more land for a kingdom of my own, and the recognition of status equal to yours." It isn't a small request and I can see his brow furrow after my words hit his ears. "Queen Winter will only consider my request if I am worthy of the title. This means I must gather the acceptance from all four kingdoms. Without your blessing and support, she will not give me a chance to court the atlesian princess properly."

"I do hope that marriage is not your only goal…"

Selfishly, it is, and I realize that my own desires will not be enough in this. "Faunus have been denied a kingdom of our own for too long. My father made this request several times over the years, and you've always supported his endeavor. As his only child, that legacy must fall onto me."

"Your father is alive and well, it does not need to happen so soon."

"I respectfully disagree." I sigh. "King Ozma, I ask you to consider this. What good is it for my father to preside as Chieftain over the largest Faunus safe-hold, if his word means nothing to the other kingdoms? Vale has a luxury of choice, and within that, longevity. The rest of us do not have that gift. I beg you to consider once more the plight of the Faunus. We need a kingdom, and there is no question of that."

"Your father has the trust of many, but even he could not sway the kingdoms to his side." Ozma said then, leaning forward upon his throne. "You're still young. Wet behind the ears and lacking experience. What makes you believe that you could do what he could not?"

"It isn't a matter of belief, your highness." I say, hands clenching into fists at my sides. How do I make him understand? "It is a matter of trust."

"Indeed." He replies, tenting his fingers upon his lap thoughtfully. "Trust is earned, not freely given. You are not asking a simple thing of me. It comes at great risk. I hope you realize the great endeavor you want to undertake."

"It isn't any different than the path many of my trusted friends." I reply to him honestly. There's truth in that. One of the few facts that rest in my favor. "Many of us are mating age, seeking spouses to further our family lines. Even you are seeking to couple your eldest son so that he may carry the line. The kingdoms will fall to our generation, and then it will be inevitable."

"Yet, you declined my offer last season to be wedded to my son." Ozma murmured in return. "If you would have simply agreed, the Faunus would have the voice they so desperately need. If this were truly an altruistic request, you would have accepted my proposal to be married to Ozpin. I wonder at your motivations. I cannot help but fear what truly drives you to seek this out."

"I realize that age means nothing to the people of Vale. Given that youth can last for countless years, it hardly matters. That being said, I would have declined anyone forty years older than me. Even if I were interested in a male partner, which I'm not, Prince Ozpin refuses to use your kingdom's relic. At best, he would die of old age, leaving me a widow early in my life. At worst, I can't even imagine the repercussions."

Ozma sighed, rubbing his face before he stands tall. Walking stick in hand, he makes his way down the steps until he is directly in front of me. King Ozma appears to be my age, boyish good looks and a bright spark of wisdom lingering in his eyes. It's no question why Queen Salem adores him. He lays a hand on my shoulder, as if thinking deeply on what I've just asked of him. His fingers running along my combat leathers as if inspecting them for any flaws.

He won't find a single one.

"I make no promises." He replies then, his hand falling away as he tilts his head in the direction of the assembly hall. "I bid you to please leave me to my thoughts. I promise, I will think on this carefully. I will reveal my decision later during our diplomatic talks."

"I apologize if I've displease you." I begin, but the king cuts me off.

"I am not displeased." He tells me. "I am worried. You children are bound and determined to complicate the subtle peace that we've managed to maintain. I have lived long enough to have seen what happens when that peace is broken. I fear one day it would be impossible to repair broken alliances if measures are taken too far. You are not your father, and what you ask may be the spark that casts our meticulously built peace into ruin." With a frown, he nods off towards the assembly hall. "Now I shall ask you again, leave me to my thoughts."

With his dismissal, I head into the assembly hall. My parents, Winter, Yang, and Ozpin sit around a large table. The stadium seating above is filled with Vale's finest gentry. Wealthy families gathering to watch the proceedings in full. Taiyang sits with his youngest daughter, softly murmuring in her ear. He is probably explaining something complex. Ruby is still learning the finer points of Vale's kingdom, and will one day take over her father's position. She will continue to cultivate his lands. With a small nod in their direction I take my seat at the table.

There are plenty more empty chairs, but since this isn't a complete cross-kingdom summit, they will not be filled. Seated at my father's side I listen to the current trade proceedings. Ozpin leads the discussion. Vale wishes to procure some of newest medical technology available in Atlas, but Winter isn't willing to pass it along just yet.

Negotiations will take all day, and now more than ever I must observe.

I must learn.

That is the only way to rise above my own father, surpassing him in every single way that I can. The only way I can, in order to achieve greatness.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15  
(Weiss POV)**

A hush falls over the room in an instant. Conversation dying in Winter's throat as she look on to the couple near the door. King Ozma enters into the vast assembly hall with his queen by his side. Salem is dressed opulently in a white and black ball gown. Her hair has turned a perfect white, the only sign of her everlasting age. Her pale complexion is akin to those from furthest reaches of atlesian royalty. Her bloodline tracing back further than even my own. She is the last known purity of a long and storied bloodline. No one knows how old she truly is. It would not be unfair to assume that she is even older than Ozma himself.

The king escorts her to the open seat beside the head of the table. He hesitates to take his own. Instead, he takes a breath, looking out to the men and women of high standing. Vale is the only kingdom that permits the gentry to view proceedings such as this firsthand. Perhaps that is why he is so beloved by the people who reside in Vale.

"We may now begin the proceedings in full." King Ozma announces as servants pour glasses of sweet red wine from the cellar. "Allow me to explain the reason we have truly gathered today." He looks out to the many watching us over head. Onlookers murmuring amongst each other in their seats. "You, Vale's most valued gentry have been invited to bear witness to the topics as they unfold. For those of you who do not know, the Faunus have once again requested to be granted a kingdom all their own."

More murmurs echo from the shadows. A simple raise of Ozma's hand silences them. With his shoulders squared and his head held high, he gives the faintest nod to his people. "You would be correct to be concerned. Recognized and revered, the four great kingdoms have managed a careful peace amongst ourselves. Faunus have wish to be welcomed among our fold for a very long time. This meeting is to discuss the topic at length, as well as consider a strange marital request."

He looks back to the table, his eyes scanning across those of us seated here. His gaze finds my own, in search of something. Then he slides his gaze to Blake, who sits directly across from me. His examination unsettles the both of us. While I attempt to prepare myself against the worst outcome, Blake hide her own worries exceedingly well. He goes to his own seat, taking it and making himself comfortable.

Then, he sips from his wine and delicately clears his throat. He speaks to us now, as though the gentry peering down at us do not exist at all. "I would like to make something quite clear. I have always favored the Faunus, and this is well known. I have supported the request for a kingdom when no one else would. I would hope all of you keep that amongst your highest considerations when I explain my decision in full."

"What decision would that be, exactly?" Winter presses, unamused with the way Vale allows onlookers to watch these personal matters.

"I expected to be greeted by Ghira himself this dawn, but it was not his voice that graced my ears. If I am to understand the situation correctly, young Blake aims to partake the throne for herself. My concern should be obvious, this is a dubious request. I am inclined refuse it." He turns to Ghira then. "I feel I must ask, has this been made in error?"

"No, I assure you that it hasn't." Ghira says simply. "The kingdoms have denied my request for years. However, where I have failed, Blake has been given sworn promises to be granted a kingdom. I believe a new era is upon us, your highness. I think you see it, too."

"I believe there is merit in that. I just don't feel that merit is enough, in this case." He says somberly, with a level of earnestness that makes my heart fall. "Surely, you can see my concerns."

Salem shows no hint to what she may think of all of this. Another worrying sign.

"A concern we share, Ozma, be certain of that." Winter replies with a frown on her elegant lips. "It was a shock to me as well." Her frown is one that emulates our deceased father. She may have our mother's beauty, but the frown is in his image. It always has been. "It is preposterous, no?"

"That is one way to put it." Ozma sighs at length. "I would remind you, and my most valued onlookers that the plights of the Faunus has never sat well with me. That said, I find it difficult to entrust an entire people to a mere child, still so youthful and untrained. A kingdom is no tribe, and I fear that many would not bow to her leadership."

"A war could break out from the discontent." Winter adds softly. "The boarder conflicts in Vacuo were bloody enough, I'd rather not provoke another."

"Yet, a request like this could indeed cause more unrest between Faunus and humans." The great king of Vale adds softly. He turns back to the chieftain. "What reason do I have to place faith in one so inexperienced?"

"With all due respect, your highness, you don't." Kali finally speaks. She looks to me softly, a gentle smile of encouragement on her lips. As if seeing my worry, attempting to soothe and comfort me when my own sister cannot. "I propose a pilgrimage of your choosing. My daughter will be expected to fulfill it. That will act as your sign of proof. If she were to succeed, only then could she expect your full cooperation in the matters going forward."

"I find it doubtful that such a feat alone would be enough." The king murmurs.

"Doubtful, truly? Or is it merely that you've chosen to be stubborn, Ozma?" Salem says to him. I've heard that it's rare for her to speak out against Ozma in any way. "I'd like to remind you that we were young once, trying to unify Vale, for all the good that it did us. Young ones already sit among our fold. Take a look beside you. Winter is young, but she is not inept. You've complimented her abilities upon the atlesian throne often. What, may I ask you, makes Blake so different?"

"This is an enlightened age, Salem. Our strife was rather different, the two cannot be compared." Ozma tells her with the gentle sternness known of him. "Furthermore, Winter inherited her seat among us by blood and bone. I didn't hand her a position of power, and I never once endorsed her inheritance of the throne. She is self-made in all ways. The same cannot be said for young Blake."

"I see." Salem says softly.

"Don't go around making enemies now, Ozma." Yang cuts in out of turn. Winter sends Yang a look to quiet her, but it does no good. "I just got Winter to start considering Blake, and now you're the one backtracking?"

"I'd hardly call it that." He murmurs unhappily.

"That's bullshit and you know it." Yang bit out, fist slamming onto the table. "I don't know about you, but Blake has my full-fledged endorsement, and that's not all. Pyrrha will soon rise to power herself. Promises have been made to the Faunus for years. Would you really be so cowardly now just because Blake's the one to inherit a possible title instead of her dad?"

"Yang…"Winter hisses out under her breath in reprimand. It falls on deaf ears, of course. If she wanted an obedient wife, she never would have married Yang in the first place. Even though my back is to him, I fully believe Taiyang has his hand to his face.

"Oh, no. Don't you start up on me." Yang shoots back. "This used to be my homeland. I spilled blood for him, killed in Vale's name." She scoffed, shaking her head. "Blake marched the same hells of Vacuo in loyalty to him. She had no reason to, but she did it anyway." Her temper raising up, we could only watch in awe. Yang's voice became thunderous. "Hundreds of Faunus from Menagerie died in the sands of Vacuo on her command!" She bellowed, before her voice dropped to a seething whisper quiet. "I'll be damned if Vale's greatest king goes back on his words now."

Blake and Kali have flattened back their ears, which I'm sure are ringing from the echo that rang out in the room. Yang isn't done, yet though, fiery words still perched on the tip of her tongue.

"Don't forget, she killed in your name, too, Winter." Yang goes on to say. "You owe her a chance to prove herself worthy of leading a kingdom. I will remind you of that for however long it takes."

"Young ones indeed." The king sighs at length.

"Young, but not incorrect." Salem poses to him.

"The point still stands." Ozma replies, sipping on his wine.

"There is an arrange marriage involved in all of this, or so I believe." Salem said then, laying a hand over her husband's own. "That is the nature of your concern, correct?"

Ozma nods, peering to Blake, and then to me. "You must understand, a kingdom being given to the Faunus for the wrong reason is not something I could ever abide."

"Well, if the question is one of motivation, perhaps we are being too frugal in our assessment." Salem says, her palm opening towards Blake in gesture before gliding across the air to me. "I would request the children at this table speak for themselves. Do you honestly believe that a Schnee and Faunus could truly command the will of an entire Faunus population?"

"That is the question, isn't it?" I say, trying to keep the tremor from my voice. "Honestly, I don't know the answer."

"Precisely my concern." Ozma grumbles. "Some would think such a thing would be impossible."

"When you say that, you prove segregation still exists." Blake tells him. "It makes me think that to a point, you condone it."

Ozma bristles slightly under the accusation. "I assure you that I don't."

I can only hope that Blake knows what she's doing. If she were to gain the king's ire, no good will come of it.

"What does Weiss being human really have to do with anything? If she were a Faunus, I wouldn't be sitting at this table today. If I had a kingdom, the conversation would have gone no further than a meeting between myself and Queen Winter. It's because Faunus do not have those rights, those freedoms that you do. It's because of that, I am forced into doing things this way. Doesn't that say anything to you? Anything at all?"

"Mind your manners." Ghira whispers.

"Manners will get us nowhere without equal respect across this table." Blake hisses back, ears flattening down on her head. Tears edging into her eyes. "I am tired of being lesser. I am tired of being seen as a pitiable creature who cannot speak on my own. Others do not speak for me, father. They cannot, because they are not me. Yang is right. I will prove myself worthy of a kingdom, but if you think it will be a strictly Faunus kingdom, you are all mistaken."

"What you say is laughable at best, deadly at worst. You've spouted this once before. I see no evidence to believe you. You speak as if humans would choose your kingdom over another." Winter chastises coolly. "That's a lofty statement to make. Too lofty, perhaps, for someone of your station. I'd rethink your statements, seeing as now you have an audience with eyes upon you."

"That was the point of this gathering." Blake half growls. "If I had a kingdom, this wouldn't even be close to an issue. Humans and Faunus would not be forced into being lesser. Equality can and will exist, in my kingdom." Blake replies, vitriol burning within molten amber eyes. "It will, because it must."

"Is that so?" King Ozma murmured, as if in disbelief.

"It will be so. You mark my words here on this day. In my kingdom, humans and Faunus will live side by side. I will swear my life on that." She says, her claws nipping into the edge of the dark oak table. "If I fail, you may have my life on a silver platter. You may behead in an effigy, or rip me to pieces limb my limb. I will raise a kingdom unlike any other, you have my word."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16  
(Blake POV)**

I will not fail. I will not falter.

I won't.

I can't.

"A pilgrimage it is, then." Ozma says after a moment of lingering quiet around the table.

I must have misheard him. I must have. Yet, he sits there with his eyes on me, sternly looking down at me as though I've mildly annoyed him. Perhaps I have. Perhaps this is his way of punishing me for my shortcomings.

"Youth is a precarious thing, prone to idealism and perfect outcomes. The reality is hardly so forgiving." Ozma tells me. "I find the best way to deal with impulsive behavior, is to give you a taste of their own medicine. Let me be blunt, I believe you are delusional, speaking false promises that cannot be met." He replies calmly, leaning forward ever so slightly. "That said, stranger things have happened in my life time. I have been proven wrong before. So, if you are so positive that you can do better than those before, I would certainly like to see it accomplished."

"Insanity." Winter murmurs, while Yang just sits there with a smug grin across her face. Even while I pray to every deity that I won't mess this up, Yang is as brazen as ever. I wish I could be as steadfast as she is. I've always envied that about Yang.

"What will she be tasked with?" My father queries, his own displeasure clear on his face. I know he's worried. He doesn't like that I've done any of this. He probably thought Ozma would refuse. He probably banked on that when he agreed to make this journey. We could lose face among the other tribes. I could become a dishonor to the entire Faunus race.

"The kingdoms work together to ensure peace among our peoples. If your daughter wishes to have my support, she must prove to me that her words ring true." He looks to me then, his gaze burning into mine. I can't back down. I must press forward.

I can't avert my gaze. I want to, but I can't show weakness. Not now, in the moment. "I'll do anything you ask."

"You will be tasked with traveling to the outer reaches of Vale." King Ozma commands. "You will accumulate support from each of Vale's most outlying villages. You must bring back letters of loyalty from all of them. Furthermore, you must meet the chieftain of Vale's Faunus, ensuring his complete endorsement of your cause. You are not allowed to receive help for your parents. You must prove yourself by your own measure. Lastly, leading any newfound kingdom is a joint venture. Therefore, I will only amuse this little endeavor of yours if the atlesian princess accompanies you."

"I will not allow that, Ozma." Winter interjects swiftly. "I will not entrust my sister to a Faunus for protection. She shouldn't be gallivanting around Vale in the first place, let alone with a suitor."

"Then you will entrust her protection to me." Yang says without missing a beat.

"You have duties in Atlas, and to me." Winter argues.

"Yeah, I'd say I do. Like, you know, keeping Weiss out of trouble." Yang shrugs. She doesn't see the issue. Then again, of course she doesn't. That would be asking for Yang to remember that she's a queen's consort now, and to use common sense. "I will go with them, both as moral support and your sister's sworn keeper."

"You cannot leave your station."

"I can, and I will."

"You absolutely will not!"

"Watch me."

"I'll do no such thing."

"Yang…" Weiss mouths soundlessly. Perhaps she's more in awe of Yang's antics than I am.

She is my best friend, loyal to a fault. In some ways, I'd like to think we're family. Tied together by far more than blood or law. Then again, if I am permitted to marry Weiss, Yang and I would be family by law too. That would be an amusing thought, if I wasn't so fearful of the outcome. I fear I will fail, disappointing everyone including myself. Yang doesn't see that. It's not possible for her to think I could let her down.

In that way, there is no person more loyal to me than Yang. The only one who might come close is Ruby.

"Atlas can manage without me for a few months, and so can you." Yang says, her gaze entirely upon Winter. Full of love, devotion coloring her words. "Winter, this is for the good of many. If Blake could bring the majority of Faunus tribes together, we might never need to use retaliatory force. Less war means less bloodshed. We've got a family to think of. You really want our kid out on a march ten years down the line because of another human and Faunus dispute?"

"A few months?" Winter merely scoffed. "Yang, this sounds as though it will turn into a full campaign."

"If it does, so be it." Yang said with all of the gentleness she could muster. "I would like to say we'd be quicker than that, but you're right. It isn't likely. I wouldn't even suggest this if you trusted Blake the way I do."

"The fact is, I don't."

"I know, so I ask that you trust me instead." Yang's voiced the matter like a request. Trying to appeal to her wife the only ways she knows how. "This is Atlas's concern, but moreover, it's mine as a person. I hate that things turned out like this. That it couldn't just be easier. Weiss isn't a baby anymore. She is able to make this trip without a babysitter. I know you'd never allow that, so I'll protect her with my life."

Winter grits her teeth. Still beautiful in spite of the display. Her lips thin to a tight line. Fury at the edges of composure. Somehow, though I've never seen it, I'd be willing to bet that Weiss is equally capable of that expression. Finally Winter turns to Ozma. "Ozma, if you insist to amuse this lunacy any further, you will bear the full responsibility of the repercussions. Yang will accompany the girls, acting in the capacity of her station as Atlas's queen consort. I expect complete compliance with Yang's actions within that capacity."

"Done." Salem replies before her husband can even think to disagree.

"Salem…" The king muttered to her.

"It is a fair demand, Ozma." Salem says to him, her voice hushed but sharp like a blade. Salem leans forward elbows on the table, not bothering to care about how much more intimidating it makes her seem. "Allow me to make one thing quite clear among the powers that sit at this table. I will not amuse ham-fisted attempts to proves our stations. We are powerful, and it is our sworn oaths to see to the needs of the people. Whatever disagreements we may have, they cannot extend to the greater world surrounding us. If they do, war will come, and it will be nothing like the disputes along the boarders. Are there any other concerns to be addressed?"

"Given the expense of travel, I do fear about the provisions." My mother says, forcing my father to hang his head at the pure disobedience being shared across the table. With Yang as a ringleader, and Salem amusing it, the entire concept of propriety has flown out of the window.

"We'll provide all of the provisions…" Salem replies then. "Won't we, Ozma?"

"I will require an itemized list." Ozma states finishing down his wine and standing from his seat. "They may begin their journey whenever they'd like."

There is so much to do, and so little time to do it in. Ozma placed a huge burden in front of me, and Yang makes it no easier as she makes complete lists of equipment we will need. Some of them are luxuries at best, and I can only shake my head in exasperation as I hand them off to Tucson. He will deliver them to Ozma, but in the meantime, I can only pace the room worriedly.

"I don't know about this, Yang." I say with more distaste than I'd like. "The princess has never had to cut a path across Vale in the entirety of her life. Now, we are to demand that she follows roads that would exhaust even the most seasoned footmen?"

"There is a reason I demanded two oxen and my father's wagon." Yang says to me, sprawled out on the sofa like a drunkard. A mug full of ale in one hand and a loaf of salted bread in the other. "Oh, and Ruby. We're taking her with us."

"We're what?" I ask, turning on her. My urge to throttle the meddlesome blonde rising.

"We're taking Ruby with us." Yang shrugged, taking a gulp of her ale and giving me a somewhat dark look. Shadows of war lingering in the depths of her mind and clogging her vision. A frown crosses her lips as she peers over Vale's territorial map once more. "Winter is right to worry for Weiss. She can't even hold a sword. You may be a seasoned, but I'd worry about what you might do if Weiss was put in danger."

"Point taken." I say, finding myself shoving Yang's legs off of the sofa so that I may sit down beside her. "She has been pathfinding for a few years, now, hasn't she?"

"Dad takes her. I don't think she's gone on her own yet." Yang nods, ripping off a hunk of bread to stuff her mouth with. Her thoughts rolling as she grabbed a red pen and made a small mark on the map. She washes her snack down with more ale. "Ruby may lack experience, but at least she's been blooded. An extra blade doesn't hurt."

Neither of us bring up the fact that Ruby vomited the first time she ever killed a man. That she was sleepless for weeks after. She is too kind to be a killer, too gentle to openly seek battle. She will fight if she must. She will not go down without a fight. She simply chooses non-lethal maneuvers if murder can be avoided. The world doesn't favor her brand of combat, it never has, and Ruby knows that too.

Like my father, in that way…

He has never been able to kill at all, not even when his own life depended on it. Despite my mother's kindness, she is the one capable of up-taking arms and doing battle to the fullest. She's the one that has drawn a blade when my father could not. She is the one who has killed in order to survive.

Perhaps Yang is right then.

Perhaps Ruby should come with us. She holds gentle spirit that Yang and I could never possess. She would try to be merciful, when Yang and I would not be. "It would be nice to avoid particularly bloody battles. I doubt the princess would handle it well." Yes, perhaps this is better. "Ruby is certainly more the diplomat that we will ever be." I consider, realizing that Ruby coming along would be more helpful than a hindrance.

"Right…" Yang said, circling another place on the map. "That's what I was thinking."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17  
(Weiss POV)**

Deliberations between kingdoms continue after lunch. Blake and I are dismissed from the discussion. The next items on the agenda include a renewal of trade agreements between Menagerie and Vale, and an agreement from Atlas to build new cargo ships to sail the rough waters. Blake is nothing but jovial, we're both happy to escape another handful of hours listening to the drone of trade talks.

We walk the gardens, nearness a luxury provided to us when Yang keeps watch from a respectful distance. Blake is a willing escort, smiling gently as she amuses my curiosity with one of her prized weapons. It is a small butterfly knife.

"That is only a trinket." She says, though she allows me to handle the blade anyway, watching me with care. "It is little more than a way to pass the time during the long hours upon the road. I wouldn't advise you to toy with it, though."

"I'm surprised you would." I says, causing Blake to grin as she holds out her hand. I relinquish the blade. Watching her take a few steps back, she begins twiddling the knife, loosening it into the air before catching it once more, the soft clicking and clacking is as memorizing as the scene itself, but eventually her display is done. She pockets the knife before steeping to my side again, her arm lifted in offering. "You should ask your sister to see her skill with the drawn blade. It's quite impressive."

"She would never practice the art of combat in front of me." I say, having asked several times, only for Winter to reject the idea. "It's dangerous, she tell me. That by observation, I might become drawn to it."

"Fair." Blake says with a small laugh. "You might. I would have likely been raised in my father's image, but my mother's blade captivated me in a way that little else could. Training for battle is one way for parents to bond to their offspring after all. I was so sure I could hold a blade in kindness, above duty, like she could."

"You were unable to?" I could feel the way Blake tensed.

"I become a different person in battle, like so many do." I tell her. "I believe that may be why the queen refuses to train in front of you. It would mean allowing you to see her skill. After you witnessed that, it would be hard not to want that gift for yourself. However, I can tell you that she is right. With the wrong mindset, no good will come of that."

* * *

In the small hour we have before dinner, we play a game of cards. Our fingers sneaking brief touches every time we collect the cards to shuffle the deck once more. Winter sits beside us, lamenting the very fact that she's the one keeping watch. Glynda is out, visiting relatives. Yang would, but she has been called away. She has too many other duties while in the Kingdom of Vale.

"Must you do that?" Winter sighs at length when she sees our lingering touches taking longer than they need to.

I can't help but think that I do. As though Blake will vaporize like a puff of smoke in front of me, an illusion. "Were you never so forward with Yang?" I ask, because I often wonder.

"I was, of course, but the circumstances were different. Being out on the march, certain things are almost expected, and there are very few cures for ailments of the mind." Winter says, gathering her cards and studding them. "Blake could tell you, if you stopped playing footsie under the table long enough to maintain a conversation."

"Our shoes merely glanced each other." Blake retorts. "I'd hardly call that playing footsie…"

"No, you wouldn't I suppose." Winter muttered. "I expect your idea of that is much closer to my wife's."

"Maybe, although I thought the vernacular for that was knocking boots."

"Cad…"

"Puritan." Blake shrugs slightly, she put her cards down, watching Winter with a keen eye. I have no idea what has her so transfixed. "I'll admit that you're right about the situation being different. I've been around the block before a few times, same as Yang. With so little personal comforts amidst war, you know just as well as I do. Stability doesn't come cheaply."

"Dignity is a small price to pay, isn't it?"

"I'd continue to pay it tenfold in order to silence my nightmares." Blake tells her. "I have a feeling you would too, which is why I can't understand why you disallow me even simple pleasures."

"Weiss is granting you the pleasure of her company." Winter says, her eyes cutting to me. "That should be enough."

"It isn't." Blake replies and in this she picks up her wine goblet, glaring daggers into the red wine. "Sullied as you were on the sands of Vacuo, Yang gave you a redemption that you neither asked for, or deserved. I saw the atrocities, same as you. Powerless as we were, you received Yang's comfort. Aside from amusing myself with the emptiness of concubines, I went to my bed alone."

"We could have died in those sands. There were nights I feared I would not return to Atlas alive." Winter says softly, her words sharp, perhaps serpent-like. "I make no excuses for it, or the result. Weiss has never once been blooded, and has never experienced what we have seen. Of course I would be more lax on atlesian tradition if she had even a fraction of the experience I do. She is still pure, no lives taken by her hand, and no lovers to have shattered her heart. There are no terrors to haunt her when she sleeps. None like ours. Of course I aim to protect her, because this world is far too cruel."

This is the first time I've truly heard Winter speak frankly of the Vacuo conflict. She brings it up in passing, but never like this. It makes me ponder about it. I wonder what she's seen. What was it that she bore witness to? What was she forced to overcome?

"That, at least, I can understand." Blake relents tipping back the wine goblet slowly, as if savoring the taste. "Allow me to educate you on something that I think you've vastly misinterpreted. Faunus, even those that are by no means celibate, do not sample the suitors they attempt to formally mate. We do like our physical affection, of course, but we have strict and stringent guidelines about what can and can't happen before the day of the mating."

"Perhaps, but, I am not a Faunus." Winter tells her. "Neither is my sister, and I demand you respect that."

"I am, at my core a Faunus, and I have my pride." Blake begins. "So, if you'll start to relax a few of your atlesian customs when it comes to the princess, I'll stop taking every opportunity I get to harass you with my sensibilities. It seems a fair trade."

"I make no promises." Winter merely sighs.

* * *

In a few day's time, Winter will return to Atlas. The chieftain and his wife will return to Menagerie. Yang and I will be joining Blake on her travels. I am nervous and excited, but restless all the same. Just as a sit down to pen more replies for proposal letters, Yang pulls me from my room. She begins insisting that I join her in the stables, nearly dragging me there.

I look up to the beast at Yang's side, a carrot resting on her outstretched hand. I have never seen a horse so large, but then, Atlas has no need to breed robust creatures to plow fields. The horse is incredibly gentle as he takes his treat, crunching on it merrily. Yang moves onto the next stall, and I follow her as she provides the next occupant his treat as well.

"Are these the horses we will be riding?" I ask. "I doubt I could sit astride him, or control him. He is nothing like the horses of my homeland."

"No, these are the messenger horses. Letter carriers use them to travel far and wide." Yang tells me, her open palm resting on the snout of the large creature in front of her. Then, she moves on yet again. "I've requested oxen for our journey."

"Won't we be taking any horses at all?" I ask, watching as Yang shakes her head.

"No need." She says, another horse gifted a carrot before the bucket is empty. "The wagon will carry all of us, oxen are the better choice."

"It moves slowly, doesn't it?" I wonder, only to see Yang nod again. "Will we be able to make it to the inns among the villages at a reasonable pace?"

"Weiss, there are no inns out on the open road." Yang tells me, lilac eyes narrowing as she rinses out the bucket and places it to the side. "We'll be eating and sleeping out in the wilds. When night falls, we'll set up camp. When it's time to move, we'll pack away our things and travel once more."

"What about food and water?" I find myself frowning. "What will we do when we grow cold and hungry?"

"Would you relax? You're not going to starve. This isn't like the northern territory. There's food everywhere, and it's pretty hard to get cold around a roaring camp fire." Yang says, scratching the back of her head as she rolls her eyes. She hands me a shovel. Dung clings to the metal.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" I ask, crinkling my nose at the smell.

"Even Winter knows how to care for horses, Weiss." Yang just shakes her head, a disappointed look on her features. "She didn't get where she is by sitting on her throne looking pretty. She got there by busting her ass. She knows what it takes to run a kingdom. She knows the jobs of her people. She's experienced the hard work that they do just to make the kingdom run smoothly. It's time you start learning these things too, and you can start by mucking the stalls."

"I find it doubtful that Winter would allow this." I say, opening one of the stalls, guiding the chestnut colored mare over to Yang to be brushed. "She's never let me help the stable masters before."

"This is different. If you want to rule a kingdom, you need to understand the ways of the world." Yang says to me. "You've been eager to learn, haven't you? Now is your chance to experience Vale's customs firsthand."

"Winter would say that this is beneath me."

Yang barks out a laugh. "It is, as far as the people of Atlas are concerned. It isn't the same in Vale."

I made a soft sound of understanding as I enter the first stall. Excrement and bedding wait there to be removed and changed.

"Here in Vale you have to earn your saddle." Yang tells me, rolling in a large wheelbarrow for me to use. "You can ride horses whenever you want in Atlas. All you need to do is ask, and someone preps one for you. It's not like that in Vale. Here, you're not allowed to ride unless you've proven you can take care of a horse yourself. Even the king and queen care for their own animals."

"Don't they have better things to be doing?" I ask. "Vale's court proceedings are even more detailed than Atlas's own."

"It's not like you're wrong, but the king and queen make the time." Yang says, heading back out to care for the chestnut mare waiting for her. "Following the teachings of the maidens, we are nothing without the flora and fauna in this world. Vale takes those passages literally. Hunting for sport is illegal here. We can only hunt for the sake of utilizing the animal for food or supplies. Really devout families only eat vegan because they see treating animals cruelly as an unforgiveable sin."

"You aren't vegan by far. You aren't even vegetarian." I say over the sounds of the metal shovel scraping against the floor.

"Yeah, well I'm not super devout to the maidens, either." Yang shoots back, her voice quieting a bit as she busies herself with something out of my line of sight. "The maidens have a lot of teachings, Weiss. It's just that most of them are useless after the things I've seen. Mankind truly are the worst kind of monsters to walk this planet, it's hard to stay true to the teachings after you realize that."

* * *

When we return from the stables the hour is late, but there is no time for sleep. Instead I am rushed through a bath and hurried into Winter's room. In preparation for the long road ahead, I'm being fitted for my own set of armor. I've been stripped naked, measured from head to toe in every conceivable way possible. I can't count the times I've had this happen in my life.

Being royalty, one grows accustom to being used as a glorified dress-up doll. The finest silks and most elaborate gowns require accurate measurements. I was raised to understand this, complying with the immodest practice of standing nude in front of dressmakers and seamstresses. I've never been fond of this necessity, complying only because I've been ordered to. Then again, it would be slovenly to wear ill-fitting clothes.

Being fitted for armor is a uniquely different experience altogether. There is even less being left to seamstress's imagination as she measures areas around my maidenhood to ensure a proper fit. A requirement, I've been told, if I wish my monthly bleeding rags to fold neatly within any sort of pants.

I can only roll my eyes the measuring tape falls across my bust and I'm told to take a deep breath once again. The seamstress taking down another record as another woman beside her toys with my elbow, checking its flexibility. That is new. An experience I've never had before. She has already played with my toes, feet, ankles, and knees. Just as I grow tired of the woman twiddling around with my fingers and wrist she takes a step back and nods slightly.

"Her flexibility is adequate, your highness." She says to my sister who stands waiting off to the side.

"Enough to be presented with our traditional attire?" Winter queries.

"That'll be too heavy." Yang cuts in, standing beside me just as naked as I am. She's much more relaxed about the process, having needed her armor refitted constantly over the years. "No chainmail, no breastplates, and nothing that'll weigh her down."

"We can't all protect ourselves with scraps of cotton and a prayer, Yang." Winter shoots back. She looks over my body, sighing at my weak musculature. "I fear even standard grieves would be too cumbersome. Weiss, you should not be going on this adventure. You're hardly built to take it."

"Yet, I shall endure, as always." I tell her, scowling when my neck is manipulated without even a warning. "Is this really normal?"

"Yes." Winter and Yang say at the same time. An echo of truth. My eyes cannot help but gawk at the position Yang takes atop a nearby stool, her legs outstretched in a wide arc. "What in the heck do you think you're doing?!" I ask as my hand falls over my eyes at the crude display. "This isn't a peepshow!"

"I'm a boxer, Weiss." Yang says, not paying any mind to the woman taking measurements. "My clothes have to be able to move with me, unless I want to rip the crotch."

I nearly jump out of my own skin as Winter places a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, dear sister. This is the normal way to go about being fitted."

"Yeah, just with a lot less people." Yang states, ducking down into another obscure pose as her legs are measured once more. "You think this is bad? My first armor fitting was when I was ten. I was put in a room with all of the female recruits naked, and I didn't have a girl in the family to help me. Most of us didn't. We just had our dads. Then, I started growing boobs and had to be refitted again six months later. It was a real pain in the ass."

"How barbaric…"

"Father was there for my first fitting, too. I was fourteen, and it was as mortifying as you'd think it would be." Winter tells me, offering me a robe to slide over my body. I've never been more thankful for a piece of silk in my entire life. "Weiss, you must understand, this is the way of the warfront. There is little time for modesty when preparing to go out onto the open road. Yang and I have grown used to this, and so will you."

"I'd rather not, thank you."

"Yet you will, if you wish to accomplish anything. You won't have the luxury to fret over every little detail. I fear that the life you wish to lead will be nothing like you're accustomed too."

It must be standard practice, but even so, I cannot help but feel my ire bubbling in the pit of my stomach. "Am I finished here?" I ask, wishing to forget this moment as soon as possible.

"For now." Winter tells me as Yang completes her own measurements.

"Then I am going to bed. Goodnight dear sister, goodnight Yang." I say, nodding to her and then to her wife. "Pleasant dreams."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18  
(Blake POV)**

One year until marriage, three hundred and sixty-two days remain…

My desire would be to spend the day with Weiss, but I find myself too busy to do so.

At first light I attend breakfast privately with Queen Salem. We take a light meal of warm tea and toasts with jam. Our discussion surrounds general goods. The trading of highly sought tropical plants found only on the island of Menagerie. The meeting goes well, although it lasted longer than I would have liked it too.

I take an audience with King Ozma midmorning. He tells me that everything had been collected, our stock packed away upon the wagon that Yang demanded for. All that's left is to wait for our weapons to be sharpened and our armor to be repaired. The artificers promised to complete the task as soon as possible. Our discussion touched slightly on his lofty expectations, reminding me of what I agreed to.

Early afternoon has me walking the streets of Vale, considering any extra supplies. It's paramount that I select a gift for the Chieftain I'll be visiting. It's Faunus custom to bring gifts and offerings when asking for a favor. A request like mine demands a costly offering. Something special, one of a kind. Bag of coin in hand, I think of all the offerings my father made. Livestock, falcons, gold, and fine cloth. He has made many offerings over the years, each of them special. Making my purchase, my gift is contained inside a small wooden box. It will have to do. I can only hope it will please the chieftain.

Returning to the castle, I find that Yang has locked herself away. She's likely to spend a few days with her little family. Probably offering Winter a very fond farewell before we leave for the outermost villages in Vale.

Weiss is also occupied, busy with missives from across the kingdoms. Letters piling her desk need to be given responses before we leave. There is no shortage of work to do, either. She is a highly prized princess, and it does concern me when I consider my rivals. I have my own letters to tend to, of course. Many of my suitors hail from the other tribes. Particularly those in search of a matriarch. Even if I were interested, I'd never be able to accept. The weight of Menagerie falls onto me.

No matter what, that fact will forever hold true. It doesn't particularly matter if I'm successful in cultivating a kingdom or not. I will always be fated to lead my father's people.

I manage to return to the castle in time for a lunch with Ozpin. The two of us discuss the route that Yang and I plotted the night before. We need approval to use some of the paths, which he freely gives. He also approves alternative routes in case the weather takes a turn. He hands me a short stack of letters for my introduction, as is customary on journeys like these.

The meetings leave me exhausted. I head down the long hallway and back towards my room. A split in the passage has me looking down the wing that Weiss resides in. I can't help but feel my feet carry me to the door of a communal sitting room. I knock, waiting for one of the Schnee royal servants to let me inside. Glynda opens the door, promising to notify Weiss of my arrival, though she doesn't promise that Weiss will actually come to greet me. I step inside to wait. Glynda enters the princess's bedroom. I can only hope for an affirmative answer as the sounds of lovemaking reach my sensitive hearing.

It seems Yang is providing her queen with a very fond farewell indeed…

If only humans could hear themselves. They'd know that a simple door is not enough to stifle the sounds of a woman amidst her greatest pleasure. I can only smirk, wondering to myself if they realize I've come to visit, able to overhear them. Thankfully, I don't have to wait long for Weiss to appear from the confines of her own room, smiling at me as she approaches.

"Your visit honors me." She states pleasantly.

"I'd like to ask your company to the castle gardens before the dinner chimes." I ask her hopefully. Partially because I'd like to leave before I hear any more of her elder sister's moaning. Partially because I'd like to enjoy a few moments, no matter how brief, with my own lovely lady. Both outcomes would be most favorable. "It would please me greatly."

"I'm afraid she cannot." Glynda interrupts. "No one would be there to accompany you. I have been tasked with the oversight of a child. I cannot amuse your whims right now."

"You will not be there to accompany us at all in a few days." I reply with a soft shrug. "Many of the atlesian rules will not hold to their usual standard once we are on the road. I would think that Queen Winter thought of this when she agreed to let the princess come with me. If you cannot trust me to uphold some level of decorum now, what does that imply when we are sleeping beneath the stars with only an arm's length of space between us?"

"A great deal, trust me." Glynda says rather dryly. "A great deal more than I'd think anyone would care to admit."

"Well, I certainly can't stay here." I say, gesturing to the racket coming from the bedroom door. "Not unless I'd like to hear every sordid detail of the lovemaking going on in the next room. Now, wouldn't _that_ be a scandal. Thankfully, I am easily bought off, with the right bribe of course. A little time with the princess is enough for me."

Glynda frowns at me as my ears flick against the noise. Finally she sighs. "No longer than an hour, You'll keep your wits about you." She orders swiftly. "Do you understand?"

"Of course." I say.

"It never occurred to me to do otherwise." Weiss cuts in.

"Princess, I mean it." She says, addressing Weiss with her firmest tone. "Do not let a single urge of depravity take you. You must uphold your honor."

"As if I intended to do anything unsavory in the slightest." Weiss scoffed. "May I go now?"

"Fine, fine, but I'll not have the queen infuriated at me if you choose to misbehave."

Our victory in place, I open the door, allowing Weiss to exit first before I close the door behind us. Honestly, I close it much more firmly than I needed to. Still, with Weiss at my side, I feel no guilt over my actions, only elation. "May I offer you an escort?" I ask, offering my arm for her to take if she wishes.

"That would break a rule you know." Weiss says conspiratorially, even as she take up my offering. The two of us walking side by side.

"Rules already broken in the past." I reply agreeably. "If I believed for an instant your sister followed such strict moral protocol, I'd abide by it too. However, you know Yang as well as I do. If she wasn't even allowed something as simple as this, she would have gone insane."

"True." Weiss replies softly, enjoying this moment as we traverse the castle. "We will be leaving soon, you said?"

"A few days." I tell her. "Are you worried?"

"A little, perhaps." Weiss tells me, but I can tell she suffers from a great deal more anxiety than she feels willing to express. "The wagon, is it really so small?"

"The wagon is, yes. Although I've packed away separate tents for sleeping. I would never be so rude as to expect you to sleep by my side." I can feel how stiff she is, and I worry that she may be having second thoughts. "I realize that you'll be lacking the many comfort of home, but I promise, I'll do the best I can to make the trip as easy as possible."

"Yet Winter thinks it will not be easy enough…"

"She said that?"

"Yes, while I was being fitted for combat attire. That experience alone was…" Weiss shakes her head, refusing to elaborate on that topic. It's no question why.

"It was the first time you've been fitted for battle, isn't it?" I ask, Weiss merely nodding as her eyes fall to the ground. "Among the Faunus, being fitted for armor is a great honor among our people. Only our strongest warriors are bequeathed leathers by our forebears. Although, given the purity culture found within Atlas, I could see why it might be troubling to you."

"It didn't bother you at all?"

"Nudity rarely does." I say simply. "Weiss, I know that this may come as a shock to you, but the physical form is merely that. It's the value we place upon that form that matters. I believe that is what makes the problem. I've seen naked people, men and women, all my life. I was raised to know that a body is nothing more than our soul given physical form. The soul is what matters, not the vessel that it's housed in."

"And yet, isn't the physical form the one that we are usually most attracted to?" She queries a brow upraised in thought. "Generally, that is the form that inspires lust, isn't it?"

A sound argument to make, I suppose. It is amusing that she brings the topic up. It seems as though it has weighed on her mind all of her life. Then again, being attracted to the same gender might have influenced the thought more than once. I can only consider what havoc it played in her youth, wondering if such an attraction might be unnatural. The late king of atlas was a monster on more way than one.

"It has been my experience that lust burns away quite quickly." I tell her. "I realize that it might seem intimidating to you, but lust is merely that of chasing chemicals produced by the body during moments of passion. Without love to go along with it, lust cannot survive for any real length of time. Love comes from the soul, and it cannot be fabricated. This is why it is important to set aside baser urges at first, because the lust will die eventually. Love, when kept aflame, rarely dies."

"And yet, my mind turns to it. I cannot stop it." She looks up at me, a moistness lingering at the edges of endless blue. "I think to myself if we could have a moment alone, something like this, that we could indulge. Even just a kiss, something so simple, and yet I've never experienced it."

Ah, yes, well Atlas is certainly to blame for that.

"A kiss?" I say aloud. "You'd like one so badly that you'd desire it even here in this very hall?"

Weiss says nothing, a beautiful blush on her cheeks as she looks away again. It would be hard not to desire the experience, especially at her age.

I cannot help but be compelled by the request. Still, it may be too early for that. If someone were to catch us, it would spell trouble. "I think about it too, of course." I admit then, as the door to the gardens becomes visible after we turn down another passage. "I have chased those chemicals in my life many times. When the seasonal urge to mate strikes me, it's unavoidable. It's almost painful not to indulge. That said, when courting someone properly as a Faunus, there are a few things that come before kissing."

"Such as?" Weiss murmurs curiously.

"Things, I feel you may enjoy more for their novelty." I reply vaguely. "However, it is not the right time, so I'll have to ask you to wait."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19  
(Blake POV)**

One year until marriage, three hundred and sixty-one days remain…

It's time for monthly gala at Vale's court. As honored guests we must attend. Vale's royalty comes dressed to impressed, and several of Vale's gentry also attend. Dukes from within the territory come to make their appearances. Showing loyalty to Vale, they offer gifts and trade commerce. Court proceedings are a complicated affair. Someone of my station may only speak to others of equal ranking, waiting to be introduced to nobility by a higher noble class.

It would be rude to address those that I have not been formally introduced to. Even after I have been, it is usually customary to wait for invitations to address those of a higher station. My place is low, one of the lowest here. The station of a Faunus will always be lower than even the highest noble class. The daughter of a chieftain, like myself, won't ever receive the benefit of formalities. Unlike the gentry who own wealth and land, providing commerce and legacy to the kingdom, I provide nothing. Given that my father is the chieftain of Menagerie, I cannot be expected to. However, with so little expectation impressed upon me, I am not worthy of the respect that comes with it.

I stand off in the corner with Ruby, trying to keep her from scarfing down all of the sweets at the refreshment table. It is no easy task. The slice of cake she just procured is twice the size of an appropriate serving. She doesn't seem to care that other nobles look down their noses at her. Then again, it would be hard to argue over the fact when Queen Salem hacked off the piece of cake herself.

Her own slice is modestly sized. As she speaks to a few of the duchesses from her court, I can only roll by eyes, dabbing away a spot of frosting that migrated to Ruby's cheek. The fact that Oscar also shies away from attention is unbecoming, and the fact he's still cowering behind me only exhausts me further.

"You two are completely ridiculous." I murmur only loud enough so that they can hear me. "This is a gala for crying out loud. You should be out dancing on the floor." They both have positions of power far greater than my own. Oscar is the youngest prince of Vale, he has a responsibility to his people. Ruby's the blood of the gentry, and should be standing alongside her father while he makes the rounds. "At the very least you should be socializing."

"I am not going out there dressed like this." Ruby complains, her gown far more delicate than her usual attire. Tapping her foot on the ground, she grimaced. "Never mind the frilly dress. Who's idea was it to make shoes like this anyway?"

"Heels are the sign of social class, Ruby. It would be an insult not to wear them. The higher the heel, the higher the station." I say, though I would agree about Ruby's distaste in them. Even the shoes of men have a heel. Thicker and more pronounced, but a heel none the less.

"That doesn't make it any less stupid, Blake."

I find myself smirking. "Impractical as they may be, you only suffer this one night a month."

"That's twelve nights too many." She says back. "Besides, you know I can't dance."

"Right, well that's because you refuse to learn." Glancing over my shoulder at Oscar, I know why he hides. Every young girl in this room wants his attention, and he's much too shy to offer it. "Oscar, you should teach Ruby. That will keep you both out of trouble."

"I'd really rather not, thanks." He says, ducking behind me again when one of the girls pass by looking for him. A young daughter of a duchess. "If I got out there again I'm going to be bombarded."

"That's exactly why you should put Ruby on your arm." I say. "Look, Yang and I've been through this song and dance before, literally. If you want to be left alone, you have to prove you're taken for the night. They can't bother you if you're already escorting a lady. It would be rude, and they'd get into trouble. The girls will leave you alone, and the boys will leave Ruby alone. You two can enjoy the gala, and not be bothered, it's a win-win situation."

"We can both enjoy the gala here, and I'd rather do that." Ruby said, prodding her fork into another large bite of her sweet treat.

Before I can do anything else to convince them to take my advice, I'm interrupted. The Schnee royalty has just entered the room. Yang is dressed to impress, a cream colored gown showing far more cleavage than what might be considered proper. At her side, Winter is wearing a much more conservative piece. A slim blue dress flowing like a river over her form. A white shawl with matching blue embroidery covers her exposed shoulders. Weiss has a gown to match her elder sister although the dress covers her completely from the neck down. Conservative in every way, as to keep up her modest appearance. While Winter's hair is done up, Weiss allows hers to flow freely.

She is, in a word, breathtaking…

Suddenly my ceremonial leather armor with the Belladonna family crest over my heart seems slovenly in comparison. Pushing down the urge to run to my room and toss on the first dress I find, I sigh away my worries. I am dressed in the same manner as my parents, and it would be rude to dishonor them. Warrior garb is the sign of the Faunus people, and only those who prove themselves worthy may dress in the garb of combat. I clear my throat reaching for the nearest glass of wine I find, tipping it back to quench my thirst.

My hand taps upon a pocket, a small parcel within. Tonight is the night to truly express my intentions in an object given form. I can't help but be a little worried that she may not like it. I pass my empty wine glass to Ruby. Unfortunately, I have to wait my turn as Weiss is greeted by other nobles. I can't help but try to catch glimpses of the conversations. Several nobles offer her letters for personal invitations to their own household parties. Weiss accepts some, but politely declines others, a sigh of her own high standing and heritage.

She takes the first few dances with sons of prominent families, and I can't help but envy the fact that their station allows them to take her in hand without hesitation. My turn will come later, only after Weiss has established her place as a princess of Atlas. Duchess Cinder Fall, Salem's personal friend, speaks with Weiss about civil matters surrounding the kingdom treaties. She asks if Weiss would personally endorse an audience with Queen Schnee at a later date. Weiss agrees, escorting Cinder over to Winter to properly discuss the matter.

Finally, after two long hours of watching from a distance, the Schnee family have a moment alone.

"Wish me luck." I murmur to Ruby, who is still hiding behind the refreshment tables. Squaring my shoulders as I attempt to find my lost confidence. My palms are a little sweaty and my heart continues drumming in my chest as I make my approach. I am unworthy in this room full of political giants, and I can't help but feel out of place.

"Princess, you look lovely this evening." I grin, hoping to steel her away before any young nobles can get the opportunity. This is a gala after all, and dancing is to be expected. This is one of the few times I can put my hands on her, and I will take that opportunity to its fullest. I can guarantee that.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She says, much to Winter's dismay.

She sighs at the two of us, rolling her eyes as she knows exactly what's about to happen.

I bow slightly, hand outstretched. "May I request the pleasure of your company for the duration of the gala?"

"Most certainly." She says, her hands falling into mine.

That consent allows me what I truly want. Weiss at my side, on my arm, and well away from anyone else who might make an attempt to take her from me. After all, it would be impolite to remove a lady from the arm of another. It is at best a grievous insult. At worst, it is a display of power and authority that calls into question the true character of anyone who might make such an attempt at discourtesy.

"I will be watching you." Winter remarks in warning as I offer my arm to Weiss. "Best not to cause a scene."

"Of course." I agree before whisking Weiss away and onto the floor to enjoy our first dance of the night.

* * *

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	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20  
(Weiss POV)**

A simple and dry waltz carry the dancers across the floor. Blake is an expert at it, a fact that surprised me when I first learned of her natural grace. These sorts of dances are not common among the Faunus. While some choose to learn, many don't indulge the fineries of the upper class. Blake was groomed at an early age to live among the humans, embracing our complexities, partaking in our social sphere. Sadly, there is still too much that she doesn't know.

It helped, perhaps, that she befriended Yang so young.

Though human, Yang possesses none of Blake's skill when it comes to royal court. She cannot dance well, and lacks too many social graces to tactically maneuver around the room. As I understand it, Blake was often the one to keep her out of trouble, learning a great deal in the process. If only her status allowed her to learn more. The pen is mightier than the sword here, and court is a place where entire kingdoms can topple where they stand. One word out of place, one singular offence, is all it takes for grudges to take seed.

The Atlesian court is filled to the brim was those searching for power, and there is no greater station than that of my sister. This is made clear once again as Yang shoos away several noblemen searching for Winter's approval. The moment they have it, their station among Vale's royal court will rise ever so slightly. The ties the bind the kingdoms together are quite strong, and to befriend Winter will allow them to bind themselves even closer to the king and queen of Vale as well.

It is a subtle stepping stone, but one that I cannot overlook.

It was be too easy to upset that balance of power. Surviving nights like this, expertly cutting traitors off at the knees, is what I have been raised to accomplish. While Blake and I dance, I do not relax into Blake's hold. Though I'd like to, I have my own duties to my family and to my station as an atlesian princess. This is no time for leisure, it is a time for work. A fact Blake will soon understand if she is to accompany any further than this floor.

Our first dance ends and I am abruptly sought after by a few young nobles. Distant relations of my kingdom, married off, some of them particularly pregnant. Our discussions are curt, but courteous. Blake is left completely clueless as she tries to keep up with the conversation regarding the fallout of old blood and historical impropriety. They're trying to worm their way into my good graces. They only do it so that they may be introduced formally to Winter. It will not happen, and I need no excuse for declining the way they tip-toe around the matter.

I pleasantly dismiss myself from the prattling of the few spoiled women who have absolutely no entitlement to my time. I hardly make it very far at all when I am stopped by a duke that my father once trifled with. This man is a stain upon the land. Winter cut formalities with the man shortly after my father's death. Apparently, we have not completely escaped his reach. He asks of my sister's condition, and of my own. The mild pleasantries are amusing until a slip of paper finds its way in front of me. He hopes I will take it, but I cannot do that.

I swiftly decline, and dismiss him with the veiled threat of Winter's ire should she find out. It is enough to force him to capitulate, and he suddenly finds himself far more interested in speaking to several other dukes from Vale's social circle. A fitting place, as he is the lowest among them. A punishment, for losing face among Atlesian royals. If he is not careful, he will be stripped of his title, because Salem does not tolerate fools within the reaches of Vale.

"Are you alright, Weiss?" Blake asks me as we move towards the table filled with an assortment of drinks.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I murmur to her, but I can see something turning around in that head of hers, a mild conflict perhaps. "Rather I think I should ask, what's troubling you?"

"Well, despite me standing at your side, you've spoken to several people. I wasn't formally introduced to any of them, I was wondering why?"

"I thought that would be obvious. They are neither worth your notice, or mine, for that matter. Be mindful, Blake, you've just entered into a pool of sharks you are vastly unprepared for." I say under my breath, knowing that her ears have caught my words. "Faunus may speak plainly, but that's not the way of royal court. Some of these nobles here tonight want nothing more than to see my sister fall from power, and our family buried right along with it."

"Isn't the adage to keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" Blake murmurs.

I find myself smirking slightly at the question. The quirk playing on my lips is hardly the sort of expression I like to maintain at court appearances across any kingdom. Yet, here I am, failing to hide my amusement. "The adage assumes that your enemies are equal in station to that of your own. That is hardly the case for me. I will not waste my evening introducing you those who are beneath me."

"Technically, I am beneath you." Blake replies.

"Beneath me by intent Blake, not station." I tell her softly. "Many of the royals here are not the sorts of people we would ever be able to do business with. They are slimy, seeking a leg up in the world when blood and birthright can't possibly carry them further. To some degree, networking is the pure cause of everyone here. That said, some are more noteworthy than others. You will soon find that standing at my side is not the pleasure you think it is. If we are granted a kingdom, the dangers of court will b upon you, Blake. In fact, even announcing an interest for me will bring you no small amount of trouble."

I consider everyone in this room to fall into one of three basic categories. The first is that of securing one's place, something we all do. After all, we must maintain our stations of power. The second are the new rising stars within the kingdom. Young bloods making a name for themselves, more than deserving of rising above that place to a higher power. The third are those seeking to rise above their current place at any cost, seeking more power within the social pecking order for their own gains. These are the worst of all.

A thought comes to mind, and I smile to myself. "If you would like to have a formal introduction, we should approach Peter Port. He's the aging gentleman in the far off corner." I say to her, nodding off in his direction.

"I've never seen him before." Blake murmurs to me.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't." I return, realizing how rare it is to see an appearance from him. "He's something of a recluse, straying farm from the kingdom. His age has caught up to him now, and he can no longer make such long journeys. Word has it that he has been chosen by Ozpin to act as one of his foremost advisors. He is a trusted man, Winter holds him in high esteem. I've only met him once. He seems to be a kind man, but, longwinded to say the least. He would likely welcome you warmly."

Blake seems to think on this, but with the ball in full swing, Peter has amassed something of a gathering around his chair. Likely regaling those willing to listen with one absurd tale or another. I can see that Blake is conflicted, her gaze looking elsewhere. The ballroom doors open up to the balcony, and she seems interested in that instead.

"Blake?" I find myself asking, the rest of the question left to nothingness as her gaze comes back to mine.

"I think I would like to look at the stars." Blake says to me. "Perhaps we could get some air?"

"Yes." I say simply. "Let's do that." The night is still young, and there will be plenty of time for introductions later. For now, like Blake, I wish to view the stars.

* * *

**AYangThang: **I have a blog. Gaming reviews and anime reviews have begun. RWBY retrospective content also releases every Tuesday.

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